Letting Go
by Sally B. Mcgill
Summary: After failing to rescue Kirby O'Neil, the turtles embark on another mission to find him and destroy the Kraang's most powerful weapon. However, they later realize that the powerful weapon is a girl named April, whom they give a chance to see a world beyond her life with the Kraang.
1. Chapter 1

**AN/: Hello! I sure some of you know me from my story "Mum's the Word" for Glee. Unfortunately, I won't be continuing that story, but I will be making news ones. I know the title seems stupid, but please give the story a chance.**

 **This takes place some time after The Gauntlet. I made some changes, like that only Kirby was kidnapped, obviously, but for a different reason this time. Fishface, with his robolegs and Dogpond will be here. And the turtles had already met Karai. I haven't decided yet if Karai will be with Casey or Leo yet. Yes, Casey and Irma (not Kraang subprime) will be here later.**

 **April will have been with the Kraang at TCRI her whole life. The Shredder and the Foot Clan was also a part of her life. You'll see evidence of that in a later chapter. In my story, since she had spent most of her life in solitude, she's closed off from other people and only really trust in her own abilities. Her initial reaction to the turtles will be cold and hostile, but she will eventually let down her mask around them.**

* * *

Chapter 1. Breaking In

It was one of those evenings that threatened to turn frigid as the wind swept over the rooftops. The argentine moon was high and full, illuminating the buildings and avenues of New York like stadium lights. The streets below were quiet and empty— the perfect opportunity to make their move. Four giant turtles were on the roof of a building adjacent from their target, preparing for their mission.

Donatello continued to look through his telescope, standing at the edge of the closet roof with a foot braced on the ledge, watching the building from afar.

 _Yep. Still crawling with Kraang droids._

Leo was pacing behind him, obviously growing uncomfortable as the temperature dropped. He could hear Mikey sniggering behind him as he redoubled his efforts in annoying Raph, who anyone could see, was rapidly losing his patience.

"Seriously, Donnie, why are we still here?" he barked out, growling as he swatted Mikey hand away from his forehead.

"Shhh" Leo whispered, "We don't want to wake up all of New York"

Donnie mentally rolled his eyes as he remained intently focused on the scene playing out beyond the telescope.

"Just one more minute, Raph. I'm just double-checking the perimeter. And, if I may add, that would be much easier if you would _stop breathing down my neck_ , like a cardiac arrest patient's family before the cardiopulmonary resuscitation procedure. "

Raph sighed exaggeratedly, whispering loudly "Geek."

Donatello didn't bother to respond. He remained vigilant in his study as he thought about what had brought them here.

* * *

Being allowed topside for the first time had been thrilling. The stench they had sadly grown accustomed to was replaced by a fresh, luscious fragrance. (At least it was better than the fetid sewers). Wide-open spaces, where they could jump great distances, feel the wind against their faces and the feeling of freedom after fifteen years of being trapped.

And the discovery of that yellow, delicious slice of ambrosia that the world called pizza was a definite bonus. It would have been a perfect ending to the evening, had they not botched up a rescue. Twice.

He visibly winced as he recalled the man known as Kirby. They had landed on the rooftop just as he was taking a stroll through the peaceful streets of the city. Then, just as they had decided to head back, a white van had appeared seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

Then the Kraang had sprung out, intent to take Kirby with them.

Leo had insisted they save him, because "we're heroes. It's what heroes do". And due to their " ** _lack of teamwork and sloppiness, they'd let them get away with him_** ". He could still hear the disappointment and admonishment in Splinter's voice.

"Perhaps, in another year, we can try again."

That's how it ended. Or at least, how it would have ended, had Leo not insisted on saving the man. Perhaps it was him channeling his inner Captain Ryan or perhaps he was remembering the look in Kirby's eyes as he was taken away, but he had managed to passionately convince Splinter to let them try again.

"Yes, we did horribly and yes, we let them get away, but Sensei, keeping us down here for another year won't help anyone. It would be us leaving this guy to his fate, and as ninjas and as your sons, we can't do that." Leo had proclaimed, eyes locked on Master Splinter's, unafraid and unmoving. "How could we live with being both of these things if we go against everything you ever taught us about right and wrong and let this man get taken by those… _things_ "

Master Splinter had bowed his head, thoughtfully tugging his beard.

"Please," Leo had practically begged softly, "Let us save him. It's the right thing to do."

Splinter had visibly mulled it over, quietly turning around to look at his only remaining picture of his former family and himself as a human.

Then he sighed. "Yes," he said, turning back to us, a newfound resolve in his eyes. "You must save him."

After a little debate as to who should be the leader (which he and Raph thought was totally rigged), the four of them had set out to get Kirby. After two very long hours, they had finally apprehended Snake and found the building where the Kraang had taken refuge. Tricking Snake and coming up with a new plan had been easy. Then after sneaking into their base, Kirby was easily found.

However, it was rough sailing from then. Raph managed to open the door, but the Kraang already had a 6-minute head start on them. By the time they had gotten outside, Snakeweed had taken position in front of the back of the building. Kirby was already being stuffed in a van behind him. Long story short,

They came.

They saw.

They defeated Snakeweed, but the Kraang still got away with Kirby.

* * *

Donatello felt a wave of sadness overtake him as he remembered their failure. Leo had taken it the hardest out of all of them. His first mission as leader: a debacle. A mess. But it was still very hard for the rest of them. They had all coped in their own ways. Raph had been training more, Mikey persisted in discovering all dishes even remotely pizza related. Leo spent long hours either brooding or intensely meditating and he, Donatello, continued inventing, hoping the right device will stop them from failing once again.

They had all vowed that night that they would find him and bring him home. If not for their honor's sake, then for the sake of their way of the ninja: _To never do harm_. And since that day, they had searched nonstop, although they ran into trouble here and there.

Bradford, Xever and then Dogpound and Fishface. The Foot Clan. Karai. Worse of all, the Shredder.

Once, they had met a new mutant, Pete, a pigeon-human hybrid who had claimed that he and Kirby were friends. He had led them to another Kraang facility (for breadcrumbs), where they had found Kirby. While breaking him out, he had given them some information on the Kraang; that they were aliens from another dimension. And they wanted to take the world for themselves.

Before they could find out more, Mikey had accidentally triggered an alarm. They had been outnumbered , they wouldn't have made it out. So Kirby had sacrificed himself , grabbing a blaster and taking down some Kraang so they could escape, his last words being "Stop them. Take the Kraang down whatever it takes."

Luckily, one of the trips to the Kraang facilities had resulted in more information. Using the T-phone, Donnie had managed to get some data on the Kraang. As well as some project the Kraang label "the one known as the link to the thing known as success for the plan known as the plan for invasion of the planet known as the planet earth." Moreover, after conducting a search for the symbol that had been on the data, they had been lead to TCRI.

* * *

Donnie stood, finally turning to face Leo. His fist was tightly clenched around the telescope in anxiety.

"It's clear. For now." Worry lines were etched in his face. "I don't know about this—"

"Oh, come on, Donnie," Raph huffed, getting up and stretching. "We already agreed on this. It'll be easy. Sneak in, find the right room, get this "key" or whatever and hack it to pieces, so the Kraang can't use it ever again." He raised his arms up, the elongated muscles in his forearms cracking in languid relief after sitting for so long. "It's foolproof."

Donnie frowned, looking slightly put off. "Oh is that all? Well, isn't that what we said last time? Look how well that 'foolproof plan' worked out!" he snapped, stiffly turning around, facing away from the rest of them.

They all stood there in silence for a few moments. Leo put his hand on Donnie's shoulders, squeezing in subtle comfort.

Donnie sighed. "I'm sorry," he said, turning around to face them. "That was uncalled for."

"Yeah, it was" Raph grumbled. Then he sighed as well. "I'm sorry too," he said, sincerity ringing in his voice. " I know how worried you get about things sometimes. I should know better than to brush off your concerns."

"Awww," Mikey said, eyes sparkling. "You guys just had a moment. Group hug?" he exclaimed, holding his arms out and instinctively closing his eyes.

Donnie and Raph exchanged looks for a second, and then simultaneously elbowed Mikey in the chest.

"Oof," Mikey huffed. "Well, that's love for you."

Leo shook his head, a smile spreading across his face. "Come on. Let's move."

One by one, they launched themselves over the edge, traveling from rooftop to rooftop. Dispatching the Kraang bots loitering around had been easy, as Raph had previously guessed.

"Now," Leo groaned, turning to his brothers in determination. "It's time for the slightly less easy part."

* * *

They ran through the halls, weapons drawn and at the ready for any enemies they were sure to encounter. Occasionally, they would make a wrong turn and end up in a roomful of Kraang bots, and they had to fight everyone they collided with in order to remain undetected to the entire building. Eventually they found the door where the project was supposed to be housed.

Unfortunately, it was guarded by another swarm of armed Kraang bots.

"Who said this was going to be easy?" Mikey shouted as he flipped and dratted around the lasers being fired at him. "Because I vote we should totally kick that someone's butt after this."

Raph growled. "Can it Mikey!" he shouted, knocking a Kraang droid down.

"Donnie! Open the door, quick! Before more show up," Leo said, slashing the last droid with his katana.

Turning to the door, Donnie noticed a retinal scanner. Without a moment of hesitation, he reached down and ripped off the head of the nearest abandoned droid. As he shoved the face up to the lock, he mentally prepared himself for whatever gruesome monster or complex machinery would be behind the door.

The door slowly slid open and he gasped as he saw the last thing he would have suspected across the room.

It was a girl.

* * *

She was fast asleep on a gurney with white sheets. Her red hair was tousled and arched around her head like a fiery halo. Her face was smooth, peaceful. Her chest fell up and down as she breathed in the kind of contentment deep sleep could bring. There were circles under her eyes, he noticed. She wore a white long-sleeved shirt and sweatpants, along with small, white shoes. One thought appeared in Donnie's head as he blankly looked at her:

 _Beautiful._ Then:

 _She shouldn't be here._

"Donnie, what—" Leo pushed past him, only to stop short as he noticed the occupant of the room.

"Who is that?" Raph demanded, looking at the rest of the team, all with confusion in their eyes.

Mikey peeked around Leo, looking at the girl with wonder. "I think…it's a girl," he said, sounding somewhat amazed. He turned to his brother, a twinkle in his eyes. "I've never seen a real live girl before."

Donatello quickly scrutinized the room. It was small and rectangular, like how the inside of one of their rooms would be without their beds and stuff. The entire ceiling glowed with a soft white light allowing him to see that the room was empty of anything else, not even a window. The air smelled of something sharp and antiseptic.

"I don't understand," Donnie said, looking back at his brother fleetingly before looking back at the girl. "This room should be holding the weapon, not-I mean the data said—"

"Well whatever the data said," Leo grimly said. "It was wrong."

Just then, the hallway started flashing purple and they could hear a loud honking sound.

"Ah great," Raph groaned. "They know we're here. We have to go —"

"But what about her?" Donnie asked, walking toward the bed and kneeling beside the sleeping girl. "We can't leave her here. Obviously, she a prisoner. Like Kirby." He looked at his brothers as that statement sunk into their hands. "We have to get her out." He looked back at her. Up close, he could see how pale her skin looked, blue traceries of veins apparent just beneath the surface.

They all instinctively looked to Leo, who looked shortly conflicted. He looked at April, who seemed so vulnerable and innocent, an unwillingly captive of the Kraang. Then he nodded, his face showing signs of a newfound resolve.

"Grab her," he said, nodding toward April. "We'll come back another time to destroy the weapon, but right now, she needs us."

"Alright!" Mikey shouted, face lit up in excitement and pumping his fist.

Donnie gingerly picked her up, trying to throw her over her shoulder as gently as he could, holding her around her waist. Her head was against the middle of his shell, her long hair stopping just at his calf. She felt very warm against him.

"Let go." Leo said, quickly running out of the room, the others closely following.

They were all exhausted. Fighting every Kraang they had come across since they entered the building would do that. They all wanted to leave, before it became too much. Donatello half focused on the map on his T-phone, while the other half was making sure he had a secure grip on the girl.

"The exit's just around— _oh, come on already_!" They had turned a corner, only to stop as they entered a spacious room with big, complex-looking computers and square windows reaching from the ceiling to the floor , as well as encountering a team of Kraang droid with blasters, all powering up in unison.

"Kraang," one yelled. "The ones who are called the turtles have the one who is known as April O'Neil."

"Yes, Kraang," another yelled, moving forward with its blaster. "We must destroy the ones who are called the turtle and return the one known as April O'Neil to her room."

"Kraang. The returning of the one called April O'Neil to the room will be the thing that Kraang will be do—"

"Oh, would you **_SHUT UP ALREADY_** ‼!" Raph roared, charging at the Kraang. Leo and Mikey quickly followed his lead, slashing and clearing a path for Donnie and the girl.

"Wait," Donnie shouted. He had noticed that there was a giant silver computer glowing purple on a platform above them.

"Mikey, quick. Check if there's a chip or a kind of flash drive up there!" Donnie screamed, dodging the lasers. Mikey looked up, then flashed a smile at Donnie.

"On it, D!" he shouted, showing a quick thumbs-up before jumping up to the platform, while Donnie quickly dodged a blast that had been headed towards him.

"Kraang. You must be the thing known as careful to not hit the one called April O'Neil," a Kraang droid shouted just as Leo took it down.

"Got it!" Mikey shouted, waving a green chip above his head, looking extremely proud of himself.

"Quickly," Leonardo cried. "The window."

There was a crash— the sound of shattering glass—and then Raph was outside looking in through a huge gaping hole in the window he had made with his foot. They all ran out after him and climb up onto the rooftop of the building. Donnie gently shifted the girl to a more comfortable position on his shoulder.

"Can…can we…I need a minute!" Mikey gasped, hands on his knees and panting in exasperation.

"We have a few seconds. Tops." Leo said stiffly. "Let's just get to the lair and then we'll regroup and figure out the game plan from there."

With that, they all quickly jumped from building to building, speeding away, all very anxious to return home.

* * *

 **As some of you may have noticed, I made some changes to this chapter because after brainstorming a bit, I realized that a few things that would happen in the later chapters wouldn't make sense unless I changed what happened in the first chapter. See if you can figure out the changes and guess what will happen later.**

 **Because I'm sure you're curious, the episodes that have happened in my version are:**

 **Rises of the Turtles, Turtle Temple, Old Friend New Enemy, New Girl in Town and The Gauntlet.**

 **The other episodes, I'll write my own versions here and if you'd like, I will write how they met their main villains, like Bradford, Xever and Karai later, since the episodes in which they meet either involve April or wasn't listed above. Hope you like the revision of chapter one. Review, favorite and follow, please.**

 **Thanks,** **J** **!**


	2. Chapter 2: Shocking Discoveries

**A/N: Thank you to the three people who are following me and the four who have favorite my story. To the Guest who wrote the review, I say:**

 **Thank you for reading my story. I hope you enjoy this chapter and that it's not something you've read before. I'd hate to have unknowingly copied someone's fanfiction.**

 **So, here is them regrouping. I hope I've portrayed the turtles' and Splinter's dynamics well. I also hope I did my best with the Kraang impression.**

 **I wrote the first chapter really short because it's a beginning, a kind of prologue to the rest. I assure you that future chapters will be longer and have some action in it. I hope this chapter demonstrates that.**

 **As a side note, I'm sorry it took a while for me to post a new chapter. I have two very good reasons:**

 **1)I was visited by my friend, Writer S. Block. He was here for a while and it took some time for me to get him to finally leave. (My brother told me to write. He said it would be funny.)**

 **2) My internet has been acting wonky, so even when I was done writing, I couldn't post until it was fixed.**

 **I realized I didn't add a disclaimer last chapter, so here it is belatedly:**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or any of the characters on the show.**

* * *

Chapter 2: Shocking Discoveries

It was amazing the way that people who continued to walk down the same path and observe the same scenery never noticed anything unusual. The mysterious stains on the sidewalk is ignored, the slight movement that is on the edge of their peripheral vision is brushed off as unimportant. A shift in the shadows considered as an illusion, a trick of the mind. Yet, no matter how many times they strolled through familiar territory, the citizens refused to notice anything different about the area around them.

It's funny that as New York is well known as the city that never sleeps, it was also nicknamed the city that never asked questions. No matter the incident or the crisis, the public would rather close their shades to the world outside, comforting themselves in the knowledge that as long as they will it, the dimension they live in is still the same. Normal, mediocre, conserved. Had they chosen to lift the safety blanket from their vision, they might have noticed the true nature of the city around them. Moreover, they may have even noticed the four silhouettes above them that were leaping and flipping from rooftop to rooftop at a steady and rapid pace.

Despite having to carry the heavy sleeper and that the Kraang were in white vans behind them, trying to follow them, they eventually had an opportunity to go through a manhole and get out of sight. They took a minute to finally catch their breath and Donnie to transfer the girl from over his back and into his arms, then they ran through the sewers, over the turnstiles and to the lair where they could fully relax and formulate a new plan. First thing on the agenda: find out what had gone wrong and who was to blame before Splinter asked.

"What happened?"

They were all loitering around the lab, trying to get comfortable despite the assortment of old projects and abandoned tools that was scattered around the usually tidied room. Donnie had put the girl on the metal bed that was normally used in cases when one of them were sick or in need of medical treatment and was currently checking her vitals, eyes intensely focused on his desktop, while Leo was beside him, leaning against the table. Mikey was eating a bag of popcorn and huddled besides the bed, keeping a steady eye on the sleeping ex-captive.

Raph, who had been scowling at a corner in the wall, snapped his head to look at them the minute the question was out of Leo's mouth.

"I'll tell you what happened," he growled, arms crossed and looking irritated. "Donnie botched up the mission, that's what happened!"

At that, Donnie looked up, indignant. "Uh, how exactly is this on me?"

Raph turned to glare at him. "You obviously messed up and couldn't read a simple map right, Mr. Science Expert. If we had found the right room, we would have been able to destroy the weapon and probably rescue ginger locks over there long before they would have seen us coming."

"Hey," Donnie protested. "It was hard to get pass the encryptions and codes on their software. I translated it the best I could, and believe me when I say it was nowhere near as easy as writing a new code. You have to find a way to bypass the blocks and firewalls, as well as create an alternate encryption to—"

Raph scoffed. "Yeah," he taunted, smirking cruelly, "it must have been so difficult to comprehend the map, that you somehow couldn't distinguish between **_prisoner_** and **_weapon_**?"

Donnie, whose was visibly getting more agitated, opened his mouth to reply, but closed his mouth when Leo placed his hand on his shoulder in warning.

"Cool it Raph," he said, looking sternly at him. "We don't know for sure it was Donnie's fault. For all we know, the Kraang suspected we would attack tonight and switched the weapon for the girl. Or, it could have been a decoy map that the Kraang forged ahead of time to throw us off track."

"Or," Donnie added, shooting Raph a glare. "There might not be a weapon at all. It could have been a ruse they coordinated in order to get us in one place so they could destroy us."

"Yeah, but that leaves some important questions remaining," Leo started, turning his gaze to their new guest. "Who is she and what was she doing in that room at TCRI? What does she mean to the Kraang?"

"I don't know," Mikey started, speaking up for the first time since they had gotten back, eyes still locked on the girl's resting form and popcorn discarded somewhere around him ",but the Kraang seemed pretty determined to keep her there."

"And were trying very hard to avoid hurting her," Donnie added, nodding thoughtfully as he looked up from his computer to study the girl as well.

She really was beautiful, he noted dreamily. She was the image of Sleeping Beauty, waiting for her prince to come along and wake her up. That made it much worse, imagining how she would react to them. Humans generally saw an anomaly and ran away as fast as they could, terrified, even if that "freak" they were running from had just saved their lives. He couldn't imagine she would be different. That she would choose to spend time in a smelly sewer with some oversized turtle hybrids.

"Tell me again why we couldn't just dump her at a hospital? I mean, did we really need to bring this stranger to our **_secret_** lair?" Raph questioned, anger painting his tone.

Donnie sighed, trying very hard not to slap his forehead in exasperation. "Because," he said, tone condescending, as though talking to a toddler, "we just took her from the Kraang. We have to know who she is and where she belongs; otherwise, the Kraang could easily find her through the hospital records and just abduct her again. Better we find out here, so we can drop her home without the Kraang ever knowing where she went. Otherwise, we might as well have left her in that cell at TCRI."

Leo nodded along with Donnie's words. "Besides," he added, tone reasonable, "she could give us some information about the Kraang. Maybe she saw something useful. Maybe she met Kirby and has a message from him, like Pete did."

Raph huffed. "I got a bad feeling about her being here. The sooner she's out of here, the better." He shot their sleeping guest an annoyed look.

"You think once she goes back where she belongs, she'll still want to be friends?" Mikey asked, eyes twinkling.

Raph snorted. "I doubt it. She'll probably take one look at us and start screaming her head off."

Leo looked at Raph, frowning with concern, than he sighed. "Come on, team," he said ", let's go to the kitchen and eat some pizza. We'll talk to her when she wakes up. Donnie, get to work checking that chip Mikey swiped, see if it'll tell us about the weapon or any other plan the Kraang may have."

He walked towards the entrance of the lab, Donnie immediately following with his laptop, while Raph dragged his feet behind them. Leo looked back to see Mikey still hadn't moved from besides the girl.

"Mikey?" he asked, confused as to why he was still in the lab.

Mikey looked up at him momentarily before looking back at the girl. "I think I'll just stay here." He said, voice full of wonder as he studied the girl with great intensity.

Raph looked ready to protest, but Leo quickly grabbed his shoulder and shook his head frantically, signaling they head to the kitchen to continue their talk. Donnie looked at Mikey, expression unreadable, before simply saying, "Don't touch anything important." , then he followed his older brothers.

"Why'd you stop me from saying something, Leo?" Raph growled the minute they were in the kitchen. "You really trust avocado-for-brains alone with a person and possibly dangerous chemicals without 'accidentally' causing some disaster **_we'll_** have to help him fix?"

Leo sighed impatiently. "Look Raph, we all know what Mikey is like with things he doesn't understand. If we make a big deal out of it or try to grab it from him, he'll hold on tight and never let go, if he can help it anyway. As long as we let him exercise his curiosity about our new and temporary addition, he'll eventually get bored and move on. Especially when she finally goes back to where she belongs. "

Raph shagged his shoulders in defeat. "I still have a bad feeling about this, but as long as I can pound him if he does cause some accident we have to help him fix, then fine."

Leo smiled. "Absolutely." He replied, arriving at the kitchen to see that Donnie had already set up shop the kitchen table. He was intently typing on his computer.

"How's it going with the decoding so far?" Leo asked, walking over to the fridge.

"It should take me at least ten minutes to retrieve what's on the disc. The good thing is that it's not as complicated as the other data I had to decrypt, which means—"

"—there's less of a chance of you messing up," Raph finished, smirking.

Donnie glared at Raph. " ** _Which means_** ," he angrily repeated, before turning back to Leo, who was currently rummaging through the fridge. "I should be able to download it onto my computer, so we can easily see if there's any information on it about the weapon or anything else the Kraang we working on."

Leo finally left the refrigerator, holding a box of pizza, waiting to be reheated. "Well then, there's no harm in having some pizza while you work, right?"

Donnie looked as if he was about to decline, but a subtle look from Leo told him he really didn't have a choice. Maybe he wanted him to feel better about his possible blunder, or maybe he was in a celebratory mood for finally rescuing someone from the cold and evil clutches of the Kraang, but Donnie could tell Leo needed him to have this pizza. A little break, where they could act like regular teenagers, before it was back to work for them.

So he smiled and said, "Sure. Why not?"

* * *

Mikey was transfixed. He couldn't stop looking at their new addition. It was the closet he's ever been to a human female and he couldn't quite look away from the view. She was beautiful, kind of like a natural beauty. Here was a living, breathing person that he could actually reach out and touch, that he can note her creamy, pale skin and fiery, red hair, and she wouldn't attack him or scream at him. At least, while she was unconscious she wouldn't.

He couldn't help but hope that the mystery girl would become a part of their lives. Someone that they could trust, a bridge to the world above. Someone who would keep coming back no matter what. Maybe he was gullible and naïve sometimes, but he was the kind of person who saw the world as a happy place where anything was possible. Cows _could_ jump over the moon. It _could_ rain cats and dogs. And four mutant turtles and their rat dad _could_ welcome a human into their family. And be fully welcomed in return.

 _Wow. I had no idea how poetic I was. This calls for a treat. POPCORN!_

He turned around, looking around for his bag of popcorn, eventually checking under the desk. "Now where is that sneaky bag? Here baggy, baggy. Here little bagg—OUCH!" he screamed as he somehow managed to bonk his head. As he was rubbing his head, trying to alleviate the pain, he heard it. A soft groan coming from the bed.

He quickly jumped back up to his feet, just in time to see the girl's eyes flutter open. She seemed to stare at the ceiling in a sleepy stupor, then she tensed and abruptly sat up, looking around wildly.

"Hey— I mean, no—it-it's okay." Mikey stuttered out, quickly striding towards her, hands held out in a desperate attempt to stop her from panicking.

The girl slowly turned her attention to him, expression blank and neutral. He noticed offhandedly that her eyes were an illuminating blue.

"It's okay. Please don't freak out or anything. Nothing bad is going to happen okay. Really," he hastily said, backing away from the girl slowly. "Let me just get my brothers, well explain what—"

Just then, his foot lightly brushed against something behind him. He turned to see his bag of popcorn.

"Ooh, popcorn!" he cried excitingly, attention completely shifted, bending down to pick it up and enjoying another bite of the cooked kernel. Had he not let himself be distracted by the delicious snack, he would have noticed that the girl had left her place on the bed or that the metal wrench that had been on the counter a minute ago had suddenly disappeared.

"Now…what was I just doing?" Mikey asked himself aloud, eyes closed as he chewed thoughtfully on the popcorn. "What—OH!"He exclaimed, turning back around to talk to the girl. "Sorry, so as I was saying—"

He opened his eyes and abruptly stopped talking when he finally noticed that a small metal tool was seconds from hitting him on the head.

* * *

"Would you hurry up already, Donnie? I thought this was supposed to be easy."

With the pizza long since finished, Raph and Leo were growing impatient with Donnie, who was hunched over his computer, still typing furiously at the keys as he had been doing for about forty minutes already.

"I just need a few more minutes. I may have underestimated the complexity of this chip, but I've almost got it," Donnie said in response to Raph's question, eyes studiously focused on his computer.

"Donnie, you said that twenty minutes ago."

Donnie visibly bristled at Leo's slightly condescending and admonishing tone. "Well, it would be much easier if you would **_STOP RUSHING ME_** and just let me work!"

"My sons." The three turtles froze as they heard that solemn and grave voice. They looked up to see their rat _sensei_ , walking into the kitchen. "You've return from your mission."

Leo quickly stood up, tensely standing in front of Master Splinter. " _Sensei_. Hi…yeah, we're back." His voice was breaking, a result of his nervousness.

"How was it? Did you succeed in finding the Kraang weapon, Leonardo?" he asked.

"Well," Leo drawled, shooting a quick look at his brothers in panic. Donnie had wisely gone back to working through the data and Raph was staring at the wall, obviously trying to distance himself from the conversation. Leo turned back to his _sensei,_ rubbing the back of his head, "not _exactly_ …"

Splinter raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "What do you mean by _exactly_? Did you get the weapon or not?" he inquired, his voice a tad bit commanding.

Leo visibly gulped. "Uh…no, no, we didn't find it. There… was a girl in the room. We got her out of TCRI. She was asleep, so we just put her in the bed in Donnie's lab. Mikey's with her now."

Splinter stared at him, expression unreadable. "I see."

Leo, obviously feeling a need to defend them, hastily said. "She was a prisoner. We had to take her. The Kraang had sounded their alarms and we had to get of there, fast! We—"

"I got it! I hacked the chip."

Leo sighed in relief. "Oh, thank goodness." He mumbled. Then, seeing that Splinter had raised his eyebrow at him in response to his maunder, quickly cleared his throat and turned to Donnie. "What have you got, Donnie?"

"It has—whoa!"

"What, what! What is it?" Leo asked.

"It's full of pictures and notes…about the girl.

"Wait, what!"

"No way!"

Leo and Raph walked around to either side of Donnie, shocked and needing to see visual evidence of Donnie's claim.

The computer screen was abundant with pictures of the girl, as well as pictures labeled vitals and x-ray. There were notes scribbled along the pictures.

"Look," Donnie said, leaning forward to read the notes. ", _subject is doing the thing known as exhibiting the levels of resistance that is considered high after doing the test that is called test C._ And here, _subject is showing the thing that is known as signs of a fast growing thing that is known as a metabolism._ I don't understand. Why would they have a chip about the girl in such a heavily guarded area. It's as if this information is essential to them. It's all just about some tests they've done on her."

"Well, it's official." Raph sighed, throwing his arms up in angry exasperation. "This mission was a complete waste of time. We didn't get the weapon. We didn't find any new plans. And we aren't anywhere closer to foiling the Kraang's plan to invade the earth."

"Donatello."

The three boys snapped their heads up to look at Master Splinter, who was facing away from them and looking towards the main room of the lair. He had an brooding look on his face, absently stroking his thin bread.

" _Sensei_?"

"When you first read that chip," Splinter replied, speaking slowly and enunciating every word. ", it made it clear that TCRI was the location of the Kraang's weapon." It wasn't a question, but Donnie still answered.

"Yeah. But we found the girl instead. We didn't complete our mission."

"No, Donatello. I believe you did."

The three brothers looked at one another, surprised. Leo finally turned to Splinter. " _Sensei_ , I…I am confused."

"The information you had found in the other Kraang facility told you that it was that room you had found the girl in would have the weapon in it. Assuming Donatello didn't misinterpret the information and the Kraang wasn't leaving a trap for you four, leaves the only logical conclusion that…"

Leo started. "That she…that the girl…is the weapon?!"

"But _sensei_ ," Donnie protested. "That's not possible."

Splinter twisted his head and regarded Donatello for a moment before speaking, "Is that so."

Donnie seemed taken aback by his response. "Well…yeah! I mean they've use technology and mutations against the earth thus far, why would they use a…well a…"

"Yes?"

"It's just…it's impossible!" Donnie said, voice defiant and firm, face set in stubborn certainty.

"The world is full of impossible things, Donatello. Things like you and I, for example. The earth itself is an impossibility. You cannot deem something as impossible just because of the form it comes in. Looks can be deceiving. Just because something appears to be innocent and unimportant, does not mean that it couldn't harm or even kill you. Fallaces sunt rerum species."

"Ah…" Raph scratched his head in confusion. "Is that a Japanese saying?"

"Latin." Splinter replied, closing his eyes and raising his finger as he recited the translation. "It means 'the appearance of things is deceptive.'"

"Uh…" Leo said, looking confused for a moment.

"I do know other important sayings outside of Japan." Splinter said simply.

"B-but…but, how could that be?" Donnie asked rhetorically, looking to Leo as he brought the conversation back to their current debate. He had his face clenched in speculation and Donnie could practically see the wheels turning in his head.

"The Kraang," he said slowly, speaking as he stated his observations during the mission. ," They were trying to keep her so badly. They were prowling the streets after us, desperately looking for us…"

Raph spoke then, lining his thoughts up with Leo's. "They were hesitant to shoot us, especially Donnie because they were worried about hitting her."

"She had guards in front of her door."

"They were holding a chip in the main room that was obviously important."

"And now the chip itself shows that—"

They all came to the same conclusion simultaneously.

"Master Splinter's right. She has to be the weapon." Donnie said, disbelief coloring his voice.

"But…that means… but we left her alone with—"

Just then, they heard a high-pitched scream coming from Donnie's workshop. They all knew that scream, had heard it on numerous occasions. And they knew that meant trouble.

"MIKEY!"

* * *

The three elder turtles ran back to the lab as fast as they could, thundering through the main space, quickly drawing their weapons in their haste and panic to make sure their little brother was okay. They sprinted into the room in time to see their youngest brother's crumpled form on the floor, the bag of popcorn slipped beside him. And the girl was looking down at Mikey's fallen body, unaware that she had company. A tanto was in her hand, obviously grabbed from Mikey's belt.

"Hey!" Raph shouted. The girl's unruly and thick red hair bounced as her head snapped up, blue eyes wide, but otherwise showing no other reaction to the turtles.

"Get away from my brother!" Raph growled angrily, quickly spinning his sais and jumping off the ground, shouting a loud battle cry, twirling in the air so that he was launching himself feet first towards her.

"Raph, stop!" Leo shouted, futilely holding one of his hands out and watching helplessly as Raph soared towards the girl, while Donnie screamed, "No!".

There was a blur around Raph's target seconds before he would hit her. He hit the ground, the girl no longer there for him to hit. Caught off guard, he jerked his head left and right, finally noticing her behind him just before she launched her arm forward and hit him on the back of his head with the hilt of the dagger. Raph was down, holding his head and looking disoriented, spinning his head around as he saw stars.

The girl watched his fallen body for a minute, then turned to the remaining turtles, eyes bouncing between the two.

"What now, Leo?" Donnie asked, spinning his bō across his body and turning sideways, his staff held firmly behind him.

"Working on it." Leo said grimly, looking from Raph to Mikey on the floor before looking back up once more at the girl, whom seemed to be calculating her odds as well. Finally, keeping his eyes on the current threat, he instructed quietly, so that the girl wouldn't hear, " Okay, I'll draw her attention to me and try to get that knife away from her. If that doesn't work, you take her down. Be careful, though. We don't want to hurt her." He paused for a minute, then curtly added, "Yet."

Donnie tensely nodded. For a minute, all three remaining conscious occupants of the room simply looked at the opposite side, gauging the situation and trying to figure out there next move. Finally, Leo made a mad dash for the girl, raising one of his katana and rushing her.

The girl, seemingly unperturbed, ducked under Leo's slightly uncontrolled swing and raised her hand up to hit Leo with the hilt as well. Leo, having expected that, used his arm to smack hers to the side, tilting his head away so that the hilt missed him by an inch. Using her moment of vulnerability as an opportunity to retaliate, he quickly grabbed her hand and bent it back in such a way, that she had to drop the weapon.

It clattered to the ground. Leo sighed, turning to look the girl in the eye. "Now," he said, voice adamantine and face hardened, "we can finally resolve this matter—"

Quick as a whip, the girl brought her head up and smashed her forehead into Leonardo's face. Giving off a short bark in pain, Leo brought his hand from around her hand to his face. He instantly felt dizzy and his vision had begun to swim. Blood was leaking from the bump where his nose should have been. In his pained and distracted state, didn't have time to notice that Raph was passed out behind him.

Shocked, all Donnie could do was watch as his oldest brother caught his leg on Raph's plastron and crashed onto the floor, banging his head in the process. He was out cold. The girl crouched down and had her hand was reaching for the tanto—

Without a moment of hesitation, Donnie reached into his belt and threw a shuriken in her direction. It landed inches in front of her hand and she started, withdrawing her hand sharply and looking to him. By then, he was already in front of her, having appeared silently and swiftly, like a shadow.

She gasped, flinching away from him and scooting a little away from him. Their eyes met as they stayed in their positions, her on the ground and he, Donnie, towering over her, both only a few inches apart from each other. Donnie saw big blue eyes like the ocean. Eyes that seemed to drink in everything they saw. Eyes that clearly displayed one emotion so intensely and clearly, it was hard to see it as anything less than authentic. _Fear_.

Donnie softened as he saw how she cowered on the floor. Unconsciously, he dropped his weapon a little. "Hey, it's okay," he said, voice gentle. "I won't hur—"

Just like that, the girl was up and punched him in the face. Caught with his guard down, it affected him enough to send him back to hit his head on the side of the counter. Dazedly, his knees buckled out from under him and he fell to the ground, keeping his eyes open enough to see her feet by his face for one second, then watching as they run out of his lab through the garage.

Then his eyes slid closed and everything was black.

* * *

 **Hey, so what did you think? I figured it would make sense that Mikey was done in by his inability to focus, Raph was done in by his rashness, Leo by his underestimating and Donnie by his compassion and the small crush he has on her right now.**

 **Please, review if there is some things that seemed out of place or if you don't understand something.**

 **Hope you've enjoyed this new chapter. The next one is called: Questions and Trust. I gotta be honest, I have no idea how to start the new chapter. Obviously, it involves the turtles somehow convincing April to come back with them, so my ears are open to any suggestions.**

 **Also, I really don't like the title of this Fanfic. I hope there is someone out there who can help me come up with a better name for my story. Please, there are no bad names you could possibly suggest. You could also come up with the name of the next chapter, I'm horrible at things like that.**

 **Thanks** **J** **!**


	3. Chapter 3 Trust and First Steps

**A/N: Hey, so the first two parts, where they wake up and go after her and when they bring her back to the lair was originally supposed to be in the last chapter, but it was getting too long and it didn't match the theme, so I put it here. Hope you like.**

 **I watched Annihilation Earth and I was so sad about Splinter's death and the world's destruction. I just couldn't believe Shredder would sacrifice his "daughter" and the world just so he could win! Nevertheless, I totally loved April throughout the episode. Her witty remarks, the way she convinced Shredder to work with them and then how she used her powers to take down Shredder, it was amazing! I hope they address that more the next season. Part of me hope that they make her like Gwen from Ben 10 and she'll have this other celestial form, which is why she glows when she sometimes uses her powers. Tell me if you think that idea is lame or you would like to see it in the story. (Sorry for the spoilers, I just really loved the April scenes, except her whole thing with Casey, which once again confuses the heck out of those who thought it was Apriltello all the way. This is why most people hate A Foot too Big, you're so confused on who she ends up with!)**

 **To my wonderful reviewers:**

 **Vi-Violence – Thank you. I hope you continue to read this and enjoy this chapter**

 **Storm – Thank you. Glad you liked the chapter. There will be a lot of kick butt April.**

 **mangakan - Don't worry, this story is not going on hiatus anytime soon. The only thing that will prevent me would be the internet. I have a different idea in mind, but I'll try to use that scene in a later chapter, if I can somehow. Thanks for the idea and the turtles will be fine, just confused and conflicted. By the way, you're fine with the Google translator. I'm honored you went through the effort so I would understand you. A lot of April kicking butt to come.**

 **Innerpower/AntiHero627 – I'm still debating whether to a Leorai or a Karsey (that's my name for Karai and Casey by the way, unless it's Carai?) but if enough people ask for it, I will make a Leo and Karai couple. Personally, I think Leo deserves better.**

 **pupgirl123 – I apologize for my lateness and I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

 **So sorry this is late, I've been through a lot. My family and I got in a car accident a few weeks ago. Luckily, no one got hurt, but it was very scary. I barely had time to write after it. Hope this chapter makes up for it.**

* * *

 **Chapter 3. Trust and First Steps**

Donatello regained consciousness in a languid stupor, only partly awake, unaware, at that moment, of what had transpired. He could distinctly hear voices around him, one solemn voice standing out among the rest and gently pulling him towards consciousness. He slowly opened his eyes. Squinting at the bright lights overhead, he turned his head to the side, groaning as he felt a dull ache pulsing from the back of his head. He could see some blurry forms in front of him, some green blots and a tall brown one. He closed his eyes and groaned softly, as the movement caused a flare in the pain.

"Donatello."

He stiffened as he heard his name from that same calm and solemn voice. A voice that was so familiar to him. A voice that he had always followed, always felt a sense of security upon hearing it…

 _Master_ … _Splinter_ …

His eyes snapped open and he jerked upright as his brain finally comprehended to him who was speaking. He flinched and brought his hand up to his head, the quick movement up making him momentarily weak and dizzy. Rubbing his head a little, he turned to see his _sensei_ and his brothers.

Leo, who had a cold compress in his hand, was going through his first aid kit and grabbing some gauze, quickly stuffing a small lump of it up his nose to help stop the bleeding. Raph was up, pacing back and forth next to him, muttering angry, Japanese curses and scowling. Mikey was still on the floor, gazing remorsefully at the slipped popcorn. Master Splinter was now crouched next to him, his frail and slightly rough hand on his shoulder, intense worry in his eyes.

"Donatello," he said, voice soft and slow, making sure to enunciate every word so he could understand, wary that he had a concussion or another head injury, "My son, are you alright?"

Donnie nodded. "Yeah, I…I think so." He absentmindedly rubbed his head, lowering it in confusion. "What…what hap—"

Then it all came flashed before his eyes—the mission, the chip, the girl—up to when he'd seen her legs and white shoes running away through the garage. He snapped his head up and looked to Leo, who had a cold compress pressed to his nose. "The girl, she's—"

"Gwone," he said nasally, face hard beneath the ice pack. Then he sighed, looking sad and dropping the compress from his face. "We should have taken her to the hospital instead of bringing her here." Raph stopped pacing at that response, looking pissed as he turned to Leo.

"I **told you** we shouldn't have brought her here. I **knew** she was bad news. Forget the hospital; we should have just left her with the Kraang! Since she's obviously working with them."

"Now hold on Raph," Leo protested, "we don't know that for sure. She—"

"—knocked us out and took off! She could have killed Mikey! She was all poised to when we showed up, what more do you want?" he growled, his expression as he looked at them daring anyone to disagree.

Leo had a glaring contest with Raph for a moment, before sighing and looking at the wall. "Maybe."

"What, you want to wait until she actually slashes one of our _throats_ before you believe it?"

"Raphael," they all froze at Splinter's call, immediately turning to face him. He was standing in front of him, in all his sagely glory. "You must not jump to conclusions in situations like these. That is how, I believe, you wound up with the results we're seeing now." He held his hand out to Donnie, who had gotten up to place a second cold compress on his head.

"But _Sensei_ —"Raph tried to protest.

"I think she's innocent."

Raph turned to Donatello, looking angry and shocked in the face of his statement. "WHAT?! Have you lost your shell?! It's because of that 'innocent girl' that we have booming headaches and bloody noses. **How** could you think she an innocent?"

"I could tell. She's not a bad person." Donatello thought back to when they had locked eyes, the girl and him. How she seemed to be trying to convey something to him. For that few seconds they had been watching each other, she looked like someone who desperately needed help. Their help. _His_ help.

"Oh, **really**!" Raph voice, which had become heavily sarcastic, effectively interrupted Donatello's thoughts. "So what, the knife in her hand that she almost stabbed Mikey with just knocked us out by itself and just made us imagine it was her or—"

"Come on, Raph. Knock it off, let's hear what Donnie has to say." Leo said, looking annoyed.

"What, listen to him talk crazy? Sure, let's all join in while we're add it. The Kraang aren't actually trying to invade our world, it's all just a big misunderstanding!"

Splinter shot him a stern look in response to his mocking tone, effectively silencing him. "Raphael. It would do you well to listen to your brothers." He glared at him for another moment, before looking to Donnie. "What makes you so certain she is not with the Kraang? That it was not some ploy to cause you four harm, Donatello?"

"Look, I know it's hard to believe, _sensei_ , but when it was just me and her, I…Look, you didn't see the way she looked into my eyes. I could see how terrified she was. She was scared; completely horrified of the situation she was in." He paused to let what he said sink in, looking around at his family for a few seconds before he continued, "Even when she had knocked me out, she didn't reach for the knife and try to hurt us. She just left. If her goal was really to harm us, she could have easily done it before she left. She really just wanted to leave."

"Yeah!" Mikey added, nodding. "When she woke up, she was looking around for an escape route. I had to calm her down a little"

"Wait," Raph said, looking suspiciously at Mikey. "If you knew that and all, how did you manage to get knocked out? How didn't you see it coming?"

"Uh…well, I…I had been thinking some really poetic and smart stuff and decided that I deserved a snack and—"

"So let me get this straight. You had a living, possibly dangerous girl from a Kraang facility in the room, knew that she was awake…and you let yourself get distracted by **POPCORN**!"

Mikey cowered under his red-banded brother's angry. "Yes," he squeaked.

Donnie rolled his eyes and turned to watched Leo. He had his thinking face on, fist curled under his chin as he pondered on the situation. He sighed, looking to Master Splinter. "What do you think, _sensei_?"

Master Splinter also had had a brooding look on his face, slowly brushing his long goatee. "It is possible that Donatello is correct. She may have simply been frightened and never meant to cause any real harm. In either case, you four are responsible for her now. If your instincts say that the right thing to do for her is go after her and bring her back, then go."

The three brothers immediately turned to Raph, who had a deep scowl on his face and was looking at the wall. As if feeling everyone gaze on him, he turned his head to look at them, still scowling. Leo had a long-suffering look on his face, Donnie had a slightly pleading one and Mikey's was full-on begging, big eyes twinkling and lips pouted. He eventually gave an exaggerated sigh, and begrudgingly said, "Fine. Let go get her."

"Wait, wouldn't she have left through a manhole by now?" came Mikey's confused question.

Raph reached over and slapped him across the back of his head, looking annoyed."How can that be, shell brain? She'd have to know where she was going."

Splinter nodded. "Raphael is correct, Michelangelo. You have lived here all your life. You are used to these tunnels. You know all the paths and layouts and how to listen and feel the air currents to navigate through them in the dark. This girl has no such experience or training." He paused for a second, then said with a small smile on his face, "She may be lost in the tunnels and looking for a way out, like a rat in a maze."

"Oh." Mikey seemed to think about that for a second, then shrugged. "We could always just use a flashlight to find her then." With lots of fanfare, he whipped a small, black flashlight out of his belt, spinning it around like it was a sword. "Tada!"

Donnie looked at the flashlight, then shot Mikey a look of black suspicious. "Where'd you get that flashlight from?"

"Uh…the floor?"

" _Which_ floor?"

"The floor…of your room…"

"I _knew_ you were lying about taking one of those flashlights!"

"Mikey, what have we told you about going through Donnie's things and taking what you want?"

"But I didn't take it, I _found_ it! Just, you know, in your room."

" **YEAH, KEEP IT UP GUYS, IT'S TOTALLY OKAY. IT'S NOT LIKE WE HAVE SOMEONE TO FIND OR ANYTHING!** "

Splinter watched them go, saying quietly, "Good luck, my sons." He stood there for a few moments, staring down the tunnel they had already plunged into, before turning around and walking into his room.

* * *

Having lived underground and traveled through the sewer tunnels and subway tracks their whole lives, they knew a number of things about the area. That time of night left the city quiet, making the sewer even quieter and better to focus in. They knew that the overall color scheme was dark and gloomy, highlighted as their flashlights made little flares into the darkness. Recognized the cloying stench of rotting caress and polluted water. Their attuned ears picking up the occasional sounds of dripping water and animals scurrying through the pipes, their oversized green feet making loud splashing sounds throughout the cold and wide tunnels. Their shallow breaths sounded, though not enough to distract their senses from their current environment.

There were numerous paths to take and an assortment of place to explore, most of which they had mapped out and charted over the years. Despite the aggregate of recent storms causing stirrups of rancid waste and raising the tides of the sewer water, they were still able to navigate well and easily find any path to help lead them to their destination. That being said, they realized something after about five minutes of hitting terminuses and retracing their steps: just because they knew the area, doesn't mean they knew where the girl would be. It had already been about an hour and they still had no luck.

"Just admit it, Donnie." Leo said, after the tenth pipe they had checked for their missing guest. "You have no idea where to go."

"That's not true! It's just…there's about seven different tunnels she could have taken from the abandoned subway tracks and from there, about ten other chambers. Adding the junctures and side tunnels and she could have gone anywhere. It'll take me some time to conjecture which way she could have gone."

"So…in other words…you have no idea where you're going." Raph said, sounding smug and mocking. Donnie visibly bristled at Raph's response as they walked back to the main tunnel they'd been walking through.

"Well, if it's so simple, why don't you find where she is?"

"Fine! I will! And it'll won't take me hours—"

"Hey, guys." They all turned away from what would have been the start of an argument-turned-physical fight to look at their youngest brother, who had the flashlight pointed on the ground before another juncture, staring at something. "Check this out."

Curiosity grabbing their attention, they walked towards him, crowding around him to see what had Mikey so interested. Mikey held the flashlight up so they could see what was on the floor of the tunnel. Then, they all saw it: a small white shoe, soaking wet with the small waves of the sludge quickly coating it a muddy brown. "It's her shoe…"

"It must have fallen off. She probably heard us coming and ran off through one of these tunnels." Donnie speculated, holding his flashlight up to shine some light on the two possible paths.

"So, now we have only two possible choices, since we know that these paths probably lead to dead ends. This just got a lot easier," Leo said, cocky smile appearing on his face.

"Or," Raph said, looking suspiciously at the shoe, "It could be a trap or trick she set up. The shoe could be a decoy, a way to throw us off so while we're here, searching the tunnels, she's finding a way out. It doesn't necessarily prove she went down one of these, just that she was here."

Donnie thought of that, rubbing his chin with his curled fingers. "I don't think so. I mean, why would anyone throw their shoe down just so they could leave a false trail? Who would subject themselves to the discomfort of _sewer water_ going through their toes? Well," he said as a side note, "beside us, of course. Most likely, the shoe fell off, and she probably didn't want to go back for it in case we managed to catch up to her."

"Either way, this is the only clue we have to her location. Donnie, you're with me. Raph, Mikey, you try the other tunnel," Leo commanded in a boisterous and commanding tone, pointing the light of his flashlight to the left tunnel, before gesturing for Donnie to follow him, starting down his tunnel. "Whichever team finds her, try to keep her calm and convince her to come with us. _Without resorting to violence._ " He added, glaring accusingly back at Raph.

Raph gave a small huff, grumbling, "Yeah, yeah," before following Mikey, who was crooning a tune that sounded suspiciously like the "Dora the Explorer" theme as they walked into the darkness of the tunnel. " _Grab your shellpack_ … _Let's go_!"

* * *

The oldest and third oldest brother walked in silence for a few moments, both contemplating their current situation, footsteps echoing in the dark, much louder now that it was just the two of them. The pipe was much longer than they had anticipated, their flashlights too weak to reveal the other end clearly. They settled with shining the torch beams around the slicing arcs of the wide chamber spaces, the light somewhat illuminating the area around them in a grotesque fashion. Along its length, it was dotted with inky black holes of other outflow pipes that were connected to the tunnel, both depositing and withdrawing streams of filth to and from the chamber. They moved the torches in a methodic pattern, looking for any sign the girl was here.

"If we don't find her here, we'll have to try a tunnel past the juncture." Leo said grimly.

Donnie nodded sharply, his minding wondering a thousand miles away. Or, more accurately, to a few feet. To her, the girl. While he may not have any evidence, he had the distinct feeling that she wasn't as bad as she seemed. One of the most important things Splinter had taught them was to read the body language and air emanating from each other. Since being allowed topside, he and his brothers had been in several situations that required them to use that skill to anticipate their opponents' next move and intentions. Though she had attacked him and his brothers, he could almost sense good in her.

 _And_ , he thought dreamily to himself, _she was beautiful_. He had noticed the graceful way she moved, the way her blue eyes shone like big diamonds, twinkling in the sky. It was his first time seeing a girl up close and he couldn't help but think she was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen.

"Donnie?"

Donnie snapped his head to Leo as he was jerked from his thoughts, an embarrassment blush appearing on his cheeks. He prided himself in remaining focus and on top of things. He didn't usually let himself get distracted. He quickly cleared his throat and croaked out, "Yeah, Leo?"

"About this girl…"

"Yeah?"

Leo sighed heavily, obviously conflicted about something. As the leader, he usually had better control of his thoughts and emotions during a new crisis. He kept up a calm and precise stance so as to appear in control and not worry his followers. Nevertheless, this was a scenario the turtles as a whole had never found themselves in and he couldn't help but express his uncertainties to someone, even if that someone was his younger brother. His smarter and taller brother, but still younger. "Are you sure we're doing the right thing here? You know, searching for her, trying to take her back to the lair?"

"…Why are you asking? I thought you believed she wasn't with the Kraang?"

"I don't know," Leo said, sounding frustrated. "It's just…well, we don't really know her all that much. At all, really. I mean, she knocked us out and ran off. What if this whole 'innocent' talk is just…wistful thinking?"

"Leo—"

"I want to give her the benefit of doubt, really I do, but we need to be realistic. If she is with the Kraang…if she _really_ is their weapon, their **willing** tool that they're using to take over the earth…would we have to do what we originally planned? Go against everything we had ever been taught and k—kill her?"

"I…well, I…" Donnie seemed breathless under the weight of his concerns, and while Leonardo felt some guilt over that, he had to be rational. Think of it from all possible angles. It was his priority and job as a leader. To make the tough choices and lead his team to success. To complete their mission at all cost. That didn't make it any easier, especially when it came to deciding who lived and who died. Whether it'd be a Kraang, a fellow mutant or a human. Moreover, he needed someone else to understand that, to comprehend how this night may turn sour, how they may always have blood on their hands after today. All for the greater good, to keep the world safe.

"Leo, I-I…did…did you hear that?"

"What?" They both fell silent, straining their ears. At first, all they heard were the regular orchestra of the sewers and its inhabitants. Then— _splash_. Like a solid object that had made a small landing in a puddle of water. Like a shoe would on the ground or even—a foot slipping into murky sewer water.

"Come on!" Leo shouted and with that, he and Donnie thundered down the remaining length of the tunnel, hot on the trail of the stranger.

* * *

"…And then, we'll spend Saturdays watching those home shows, you know, where they talk about the jewelry and what they paid for it and we can say things like 'that's not worth the gum under my shoe' or 'You couldn't pay me enough to buy that!'"

Raph restrained himself from slapping his head in exasperation and settled for kneading his forehead in an attempt to maintain his cool. The whole time they had been searching the tunnel, and then turning back, Mikey hadn't shut up. When he had **finally** finish singing the Dora the Explorer-like theme song, he had moved on to naming all the different toppings for pizza (including a few that would be better on a pastry than on a calzone) and when **that** was finished, all he could talk about were the things he would do with his "new sister".

At first, Raph had let that slide, thinking it was joke of Mikey-proportions. However, as he eventually moved on to talking about what to get her for Christmas, he realized that Mikey was being serious. That he was talking about this girl like she was actually going to become a part of their family. And as he started talking about how they would spend their weekends together and the things she would buy for them at the grocery store, Raphael felt his anger slowly build up.

Anger at Mikey's naïve nature, his childlike wonder and belief in all things, real or otherwise. He felt aggravated at his inability to see the world for what it truly was. To see people for whom they truly were. Like that redhead they were currently looking for, like a needle in a haystack, or—more accurately, like a person in the entire sewage system.

"I'll tell her all the names of my toes and she could get me limited edition comic books…"

Times like these, Raph really wished Mikey would wake up. Wished he would stop being such a kid and act like a teenage ninja for a change.

"And we'll eat pizza together and I could teach her how to cook," Mikey sighed, eyes sparkling. "It's going to be awesome."

The whole notion that that girl would ever be a part of their lives was setting Raph on edge. And he had about enough of Mikey's gullible imaginings of a life that will never be. But while he wanted to yell at him to grow up, he found he couldn't. This was Mikey. He always wanted to see the glass half-full. _He_ wanted to believe that there would be a day where they would finally be accepted by society. And as his older brother, he couldn't take that hope away from him. It was one of the only things that kept them going sometimes.

He suddenly wrapped his arm around Mikey's shoulder, ignoring how he flinched in shock and gave him a little noogie. "Alright, alright, whatever," he said, voice chummy, before he sighed, clearing his throat and continuing, "So…what would you teach her to cook?"

His brother visibly brightened at the inquiry and began to ramble about the numerous desserts and pizza-related dishes. And Raph let him, trying not to think about how this could all come crumbling down on them all as they continued to head back.

* * *

Finally, Donnie and Leo had made it to the end of the tunnel, but couldn't see anywhere the girl would be. Shining their flashlights, they could see that the pipe lead to a containment pit, tasked with the job of maintaining the sewage and keeping floods under control.

"Where could she—"

"Shhh. Listen." They stood still and cocked their heads to the side, waiting. Then above them— _splash_. They jerked their heads up to see an outflow pipe a little overhanging them, at climbable length. It was too small for them to fit in…but the perfect size for a medium-built girl if she crouched beyond the lip of the pipe.

"Okay, let's try to get her to come out of there. Try not to spook her." Leo whispered.

Donnie nodded, then hesitated. Maybe it was his instincts or maybe it was the way they had connected for that one second, but he had a distinct feeling that she wouldn't come out for anyone but him.

"Let me try to talk to her."

"Donnie—"

"Please," Donnie pleaded. "Give me some time with her alone. Let me talk to her."

Leo studied his face for a few seconds, then simply said, "Five minutes." Then he walked a few feet away, close enough to hear and see if something went wrong.

Donnie took a little time to take a calming breath, slightly nervous. Just because he somehow knew that he could do this, didn't mean he knew how to do it. He closed his eyes and called to mind one of Splinter's homilies on having the courage and doing what needed to be done. Then started talking before he lost his nerve.

"I know you're up there, you know."

There was no answer. Not that he expected one or anything, but he felt it was better to acknowledge her presence to her. He slowly sank to the ground a foot away from the dead end, setting his legs in the lotus position, holding the flashlight up so it illuminated the tunnel. "I'm not leaving until you come out. I won't come up there and please refrain from attacking me. I'll just talk, I promise."

Still no answer. He sighed, trying for the life of him, to think of anything that would convince her to come with him. How do you convince a strange girl, whom you know nothing about and who they had taken from a Kraang base, that four giant turtles were trustworthy? It sounded impossible. "Please," he said softly. "I need to talk to you."

A deafening silence followed. He took a second to look back at Leo, who waved his hands to him in a " _go on_ " motion. He cleared his throat, then carried on.

"I can't leave you alone. I need you to come with me." He took a second to steel himself. "Look, I can appreciate your situation. Waking up in a strange place with weird-looking talking creatures around you can be a bit daunting, but I can assure you we mean you no harm. We took you from that place for a good reason and we need to talk to you about the Kraang."

"They plan to invade the earth. We're not entirely sure how yet or even why, but we know they have the resources and the complete intention. We have to stop them. See, my brothers and I…we're ninjas. We were taught by our father, Master Splinter, and since we've been out in the city, we've done what we could to protect it from the Kraang, from anyone who tried to hurt others for their own selfish gain."

He took a steadying breathe. "The Kraang…they kidnapped a man a few months ago. We tried to rescue him, but…we didn't. This man…he was counting on us to save him. And we… failed. We completely failed to protect him. He could be someone's brother, someone's son. Maybe even someone's uncle or even a father. And the Kraang…they took him as if it didn't matter, like that was nothing to them. We don't know what they need him for or why they took him, but we have to find him. That's why I can't leave, miss."

He looked up imploringly. "I don't know you or why the Kraang had you…but I believe that you're a good person. And my brothers and I want to help you, in any way we can. Please… let us do that. I need you to trust me. Trust that I want to help you. Please."

Having said his piece, Donatello waited to see if it had any affect. For a few moments, there was no reaction. All that could be heard were water tinkling from pipes. Then he heard a sound of movement echoing from above. He held his breath, afraid to even breathe in case it scared her away. Finally, he saw the top of a head peek out from the tunnel. With the light, he could just make out her blue eyes and the bangs of red hair. Then she slipped back in the pipe for a second, only for her to jump down, landing directly in front of him. He slowly stood up, hands held up in a sign of peace, locking his eyes with hers.

"Hey there," he said, somewhat nervous now, seeing as she still hadn't said anything to him. "Uh…t-thanks for coming down for me."

She simply stared at him, expression unreadable and stance one of waiting. He gave a small cough before saying, "I'm Donatello."

At first, she gave no acknowledgement that she had heard him, only staring. Then:

"April."

Donnie flinched back a little, surprised by the sound of her voice for the first time. "Wow, that a pretty…I mean, i-it…that a nice name." Surprise, surprise, she gave no response and just glazed at him. Clearing his throat, he gave a weak smile and asked, "Will you please come with me?"

He held one of his oversized hands out, patiently waiting for her to make the next move, to either accept or decline his touch. She stared down at his hand, then lifted her head back up to look at his face. For a few moments, she just searched his eyes. Then, her hand slowly drifted toward his until— _finally—_ they made contact, her hand landing gently into his.

* * *

They had made it back from within the sewers, meeting Raph and Mikey at the start of the juncture. After a testy and awkward introduction of the rest of the brothers to April (" _So guys, this is April. Uh…April, t-these are my brothers, Raphael, Leonardo and Michelangelo." April had remained stoic and silent through the testy, cheerful and formal hellos' she had received_ ), they had fleet-footed back to the lair, Donnie once again carrying the girl in his arms so as to cover the distance faster and to avoid getting more begrimed.

Upon vaulting over the turnstiles and arriving in the lair, Donnie had carefully set the girl on her feet. Her eyes wandered around their living space, taking in the TV and the other furniture in the main area of the lair, her expression giving no indication of her thoughts.

Raph, who had spent the trip glowering at April, had looked seconds from bombarding her with conundrums and accusations but was inadvertently stopped by Mikey, who had turned and innocently asked her, "Are you hungry?"

April, seemingly unfazed by the abrupt question, had turned to blankly stare at Mikey for a moment, before finally answering in a low voice, "Yes."

Beaming gleefully, he walked towards her and carefully took her arm in his hand, half-leading and half-dragging her to the kitchen, excitingly gabbling what was on the menu. "Well, lucky for you, we got tons of pizza left over. Pepperoni is the best, but if there's none of that, extra cheese is a close second."

The girl allowed herself to be seated at their makeshift table, waiting impassively and looking around as Mikey bustled around the kitchen, humming while he heated the pizza. With Mikey preoccupied, the other three took the opportunity to examine her from afar, standing near the doorway.

Her red hair was wild and tempestuous, surrounding her face, right-sided curved bangs almost reaching her eyes. Her outfit, originally pristine and white, had been soiled with the muck and slush of the sewers. Her blue eyes had deep hollows under them, as though she had been suffering from more than a few sleepless nights.

Leonardo felt a little out of his depth here. They've dealt with horrible mutants and deadly ninjas, but this was a girl. He didn't have any experience interacting with normal people and he was sure his brothers had the same apprehension as him. It also unnerved him, the way she had shown no emotion the entire time he'd seen her. While Donnie claimed she had been afraid before, there wasn't a trace of that in her expression now. She seemed eerily calm about her current circumstance.

To top it off, she was also a weapon, the key to the Kraang dominating the earth. Somehow. How do you deal with that?

His eyes flitted over to Mikey, who was doing a little song and dance by the microwave, swaying while he watched the pizza revolve. He watched him for a moment before going back to looking at the girl. Perhaps she had felt his eyes on her because suddenly her gaze trailed upwards, locking eyes with him. He recoiled in shock, feeling embarrassed as he quickly adverted his eyes to the side.

Just then, the microwave beeped. Mikey gave a little squeak of happiness, quickly taking the box of pizza out. Imitating a trumpet fanfare, he laid the pizza in front of her. "Ta-da!" he shouted, putting a plate of pizza in front of the girl. "Enjoy. Extra-cheesy pizza! Careful though," he had added as an afterthought. "It's kinda hot."

April simply stared at the pizza, giving no indication she was going to try it. After a few seconds of watching her watch the pizza, the four brothers were feeling a little antsy.

"What wrong? Never tried pizza before."

Looking up from the pizza, she answered, "No." There was a pause as the turtles waited to see if she would say more, but April kept up her laconic nature and remained terse.

"Well…it's delicious, really. Really, we were doubtful when we first discovered it, but it's the greatest thing ever." To demonstrate, Mikey grabbed a slice of pizza, taking a huge bite. "Mmmmm," he said, closing his eyes as he savored the pizza, opening one eye after a moment to make sure that April was still watching. After he swallowed, he grabbed another slice and held it out to her. "Please, try one."

After a moment of staring, April grabbed the pizza, holding it in front of her and slightly twisting it to sides, examining it. Then, she took a bite.

They all watched closely as she slowly chewed the pizza. Her façade didn't change, but she didn't spit it out in revulsion, at least. As soon as she finished that bite, she took a bigger bite, finishing the pizza after four bites.

"Good, huh?" Mikey asked, looking hopefully in her directions, like a puppy waiting for a treat. April turned to look at him, then simply reached out and grabbed another slice of pizza. Mikey's face lit up at her response, seeming as a kid at an amusement park.

She ended up eating three slices, Mikey, whom had seemed the most comfortable with sharing food with a strange girl, had shoveled the some down his throat. After a few tentative minutes, the other three joined in too, carefully munching on the pizza and keeping a close eye on the girl. The five of them didn't know it, but it was the start of a meal between a progressing family. And, in time, it would only get better from there.

* * *

 **I'm sorry if the ending seemed kind of rushed and awkward. Once again, this chapter became longer then I thought it would. I even had to change the title of the chapter, otherwise it wouldn't make sense. The next chapter is obviously the interrogation, but tell me if there is something you felt is missing in this chapter that I should add.**

 **I was originally going to have April's point of view in the next chapter of her true, unhidden feelings about suddenly living in the sewers with strange mutant turtles and to have hints of her past, but I may have to put that in chapter 5 instead. It depends on how long the next chapter gets.**

 **Sorry for the lack of action, but did you like April and Donnie scene, where she decided to go with him? I figured her meeting with his brothers would short and cold, because while she tentatively gave Donnie her trust, she still doesn't know them. The pizza scene with Mikey was mostly because I figured that she would soften a little because of Mikey's childlike excitement and obvious desire for her to enjoy the food. Tell me how you want the interrogation to go, I've already started writing, but I'll incorporate your ideas, if I can.**

 **Please review, favorite or follow me and I hope you have enjoyed this chapter. I welcome your thoughts.**


	4. Chapter 4 Answers and Questions

**Chapter 4. Answers and Questions**

 **A/N: Yeah, I'm back with a new chapter! First, can I just say I LOVE season 4 of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The whole "go back 6 months" thing was very interesting. In addition, I love the new theme song, especially the part where April uses her powers on Lord Dregg. Hope this means she'll start using her powers regularly and that ultimately, she's the one who defeats him. Totally loved Outlaw Armaggon and how April can use her powers from far away and to talk to people in their heads. I wonder if she'll telepathically move things and if she'll be able to hover and fly! Also, MONAEL Y'ALL! Raph's has a space girlfriend! That's all four with possible soul mates.**

 **To my lovely reviewers:**

 **Storm: So glad you liked the chapter. Never fear, I will continue this story no matter what. I was little worried that I made the Mikey scene a little unbelievable. Yeah, I wanted an Apriltello scene, like a vision of the Christina Perri song, "A Thousand Years", and how it feels to see the "one" for the first time. Donnie and April are drawn to each other, but they don't necessary get that and overtime they will try to understand it more. Hope you continue to read and enjoy the chapter.**

 **Guest: Thank you. Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

 **Guest #2: Thank you. I'm glad you like the story and I hope you like this chapter.**

 **Lord Anubis Judge of the dead – Thank you. I hope this next chapter will really give you some insight on how she thinks. Overtime, I hope I can show you her different personalities.**

 **I keep forgetting to add this, so I'll just put it here: I don't own any of the characters or references of TMNT, I'm just writing this story.**

* * *

"Why did you take me from my home?"

They froze at her abrupt question. After the meal, they had all moved to the pit, taking the time to relax a little before getting to the serious issues. Namely, the one who was seated on a pile of cushions on the bench. She had been staring off into space for a while before she made her inquiry, her cadence low and flat, successfully clouding any emotion she may be feeling. It had been the first time she had said something that wasn't a response. Offhandedly, Donnie noticed that her diction was perfect, every consonant and vowel treated equally. She spoke with an eloquence that came from years of perfecting, a huge contrast to the jerky and irregular speech of the Kraang.

Mikey was settled on the floor on front of her, legs crossed as he focused on beating a game on his T-phone. Donnie was on the couch, typing away at his laptop. Raph was inclined on the beanbag adjacent the bench, occasionally looking up to eye their strange newcomer with askance, but otherwise occupied with feeding Spike lettuce, petting him delicately with his big pointer finger. Leo, who had been standing beside their pinball game, subtly watching the girl too, exchanged looks with Donnie, not entirely sure how to proceed. It took Mikey several moments to recognize the stiff change in the atmosphere.

Almost immediately, Raph growled, "Hey, we'll ask the questions here, Ginger."

Leo hastily cleared his throat, shooting a glare at Raph. "What my brother means," he said hastily, "is that we have a few things we need to ask you first."

April simply stared at him, expression stoic and unrevealing. Leo gave a small cough, rubbing his neck in nervous energy. "So, miss—"

"April," came her slightly curt interruption, then after a minute she added "O'Neil."

"Right." Leo nodded quickly in response to her admonishment. "April O'Neil," he said, voice slow and deliberate, as though testing the name on his tongue. ", what were you doing in that room in TCRI?"

April turned to Leo and said in a low voice. "Sleeping."

"Right, okay." Leo said, nodding thoughtfully with each word. "But why were you in that room? I mean, what are you even doing with the Kraang anyway?"

She shrugged. "Gathering dust, I guess." Her voice came out dry and slightly sardonic

"Hey!" Raph demanded, placing Spike delicately on the little table next to them and turning to face the girl. "You don't want to mess with us, carrot top!"

April stared at Raph for a moment "Or what?"

Raph started, while the other occupants in the room all drew in a breath collectively. Even Mikey, who loved to get on Raph's nerves, knew not to question him when he was already huffing and puffing, in fear of awakening the beast within. That, coupled with April's expressionless countenance and air of indifference, was a very dangerous combination.

"You don't want to make me angry, gingersnap. I could kick your butt tens ways from Sunday!"

At that, April raised an eyebrow, the only sign she gave to her skepticism. "Like you did when you found me beside your brother before?"

"Yeah!" Raph said, crossing his arms with a smirk on his face, before he remembered what had happened before and reverted his face back to a scowl. "No! I mean…Alright! That it, tomato head!"

He was walking towards her, cracking his knuckles in a shrewd and direful way, when Mikey got up and made a grab for him around his chest. "Dude, stop it! Calm down. Deep breathes. Other calming clichés and junk."

Raph struggled for a bit, speaking Japanese curses that may have been for either April, Mikey or both, before he finally calmed down. Mikey slowly released his grip and Raph, after giving Mikey a quick slap on the back of his head, walked over to the practice dummy to go a few rounds, not giving April another look.

"Look, miss—" Leo started hurriedly.

"April," her voice sharp and pointed as she corrected him again.

He closed his eyes and scrunched his face, nodding quickly. "Right, April. Look, I know we're not giving the best first impression right now, but we have to have this information. It's important."

April simply stared at him, her face once again giving no indication to what she was feeling. They could not even tell if she believed him or even considering what he had said at all.

"April…please." Donnie pleaded slowly, fixing her with a gentle, but firm look. April slowly turned and studied him for a few moments. Then she gave off a small sigh.

"I have been with the Kraang for 15 years, 4 months, 1 week and 3 days."

Leo and Donnie blinked at her for a few seconds. "Uh…you keep track?" Leo asked uneasily. April shrugged and looked at the wall, surly answering with "I like to be accurate." Donnie gave a little double take at that, eyes wide in shock.

Leo hastily started waving his hands. "No, no! It's cool, I just…I mean…" he coughed and cleared his throat, reverting his voice back to a professional tone. "What was it like there? With the Kraang, I mean?"

April shrugged again, face clear of any emotion. "Boring mostly. I ate, I slept. Sometimes, I'd sneak out of my room and explore the place, but they'd just put me back when they find me."

"Did they…do anything to you? Any activities or stuff they expected you to do for them?" Donnie hesitantly asked.

Something flickered in her eyes for a moment, but it disappeared before any of them could identify it. "They…would do tests on me sometimes. Experiments."

"Do you know what they were for?" Mikey asked, fascinated. The turtles, even Raph by the practice dummy, had completely stopped what they were doing and were giving their full attention to April's responses.

"Not really." She shrugged again. Then: "Can I ask my questions now?"

"Uh," Leo shared a look with Donnie, then Raph, who simply shrugged before going back to wailing the practice dummy. "Sure. Go for it."

"What exactly are you? Giant lizard things?"

"Uh, turtles actually." Donnie corrected, looking slightly nervous that he was speaking.

"Dude, we're much more than that. We are teenage ninja turtles, whewww!" Mikey exclaimed proudly, standing up and flexing his arms like a herculean statue. April seemed to ignore him and moved on.

"Why did you take me from there?"

This was one of the questions Leo had dreaded. He wasn't entirely sure what was the right direction to go in regards to dealing with this girl, but he somehow knew that explaining that she may be the key to the world's destruction, may not go well.

"Well, you know how Donnie explained about that Kirby guy who was kidnapped by the Kraang?" He waited until she nodded to continue. "Based on that experience, we could tell that anyone the Kraang got their hands on would probably go through the same thing. We found you in that room and we…we couldn't just leave you there. We honestly didn't realize that was your home or where you grew up. We thought you were a prisoner."

April nodded slowly, seeming deep in thought for a moment.

"Why were you in the building in the first place? How did you end up finding my room?"

 _Trickier questions. Hard to lie through those_. "Well, we—"

"My sons." Three of the four brothers stiffened as they heard their father's voice and the sound of his cane as he walked into the main area. They turned their heads to face him. In his peripheral vision, Leo could see April turning as well to see what had interrupted their questioning session.

" _Sensei_!" Leo awkwardly straightened up, standing stiffly like a nervous soldier as Splinter walked to the center of the room.

"Have you found the gir—" Then he cut himself off as he saw April seated on the couch.

 _Awww, sewer apples_ , thought Donatello.

 _Crap_ , Leo thought.

 _Meh_ , Raph thought.

 _One more puzzle before I beat my high score_ , thought Mikey, who had been distracted by his T-phone game once again, before he finally noticed the scenario playing out in the lair. Then: _Awww, shell_.

The four turtles weren't sure whether to intervene or not. Their _sensei_ , having lived underground for so many years, seemed uncomfortable with the thought of people or the world above. He stressed that they must not be seen, that they must help anyway they could without exposing themselves or the life they had in the sewers. So, while rescuing this girl, this April O'Neil, they hadn't really thought of Splinter's reactions or feelings on the matter. Adding that along with the fact that Splinter knew of April's position in the Kraang's work and that he knew that she had attacked his sons, they weren't sure how an interaction between them would go.

And that notion went double for the mysterious and figuratively masked April O'Neil. Tension as thick as butter filled the room as the turtles watched Splinter and April's little stare down. For a few seconds, it was like a ghost station, eerie in the deafening quiet that promoted a terrifying anticipation inside its spectators. April and their _sensei_ continued to study each other with unreadable expressions on their faces. Finally, Donatello, who could not take much more of the tense atmosphere, maladroitly spoke up.

"Uh, _sensei_ …this is April O'Neil. April, this is our father, Master Splinter."

Splinter's eyes shifted to Donnie while giving his introductions and then immediately let April pull his focus again. Finally, he said soberly, "Hello, Miss. O'Neil."

"Hello." Came April's well-mannered response.

"Uh, we were just answering a few of her questions. Trying to make her comfortable."

"I see." Splinter took a moment to stare at Leo, then swiftly turned back around without another glance at April. "Goodnight, my sons."

It wasn't until Splinter shut the door to the dojo that the four brothers finally relaxed. Leo tensely turned back to April, whose face , thought still expressionless, showed slight shock.

"Uh, I'm sorry about that. It takes some using up to get used to Splinter, but really, he's a—"

"You're not taking me back…are you?" They all paused at her sudden, softly asked question, unsure how to proceed. Leo leaned back against the pinball machine, head down as he thought the situation through. Knowing what they knew, strategically, the best thing was to keep her as far away from the Kraang as possible. It would set the Kraang back almost 16 years, losing the weapon the Kraang had harvested for the sole purpose of taking the world for themselves. Looking from that angle, it seemed like the right thing to do.

However, when he put himself in this girl's shoes, he could only imagine the conflicting emotions she could be hiding from them. She probably felt as if she had her feet pulled out from under her. Her whole life had changed in the blink of an eye, and she had almost no control over it.

"I'm sorry, but…no, no we can't." Leo said hesitantly, still not looking up from the ground. April simply nodded, face still as clear as glass, while her lips thinned into knife like line on her face. She let her head fall so she was facing her hands, which were clasped together in her lap. Her bangs covered her eyes and her hair fell around her face. The boys watched her not sure whether to comfort her or try another tactic. Finally, Donnie cleared his throat and addressed her. "It's late. How about we all get some sleep and we can talk more in the morning. Okay, April?"

After a few moments of tension, she looked up, hair bouncing up as she turned her blue eyes to him. "Sure."

"Okay." Leo said, looking somewhat unsure of himself as he looked to his brothers, before he closed his eyes and took a breath, then looked at her more confidently. "Okay, sure. We'll loan you pillows and a blanket and we'll clear our stuff off the couch."

"Wait. You're going to make her sleep on the couch?" Donnie asked, disapproval lacing his voice.

"Well, yeah. Where else would she sleep?"

"Well, not on the couch. I mean, we can't offer her more comfortable accommodations than a couch?"

"Ooh, ooh! She can sleep on the floor in my room." Mikey said excitedly. Leo and Donnie blatantly ignored him. Leo responded, "Okay, fine. Where do you think she should sleep, Donnie?"

"Well…she could sleep in my room. I have my lab. Or I could sleep on the couch. Or—"

"I'm fine with sleeping here." Again, all arguments abruptly stopped in the wake of April O'Neil's soft voice. From her lips, the statement seemed watertight and final. Leo noticed curiously that she had released her hands and where her fingers had gripped each other had red marks.

"Uh…okay." Leo said slowly and inquisitively.

"Oooh, SLEEPOVER TIME!" Mikey screamed, doing a little wave with his hands.

Donnie tried to correct him, "Mikey, it's not a sleepover. It's—"

"Is April a guest?" Mikey questioned smugly.

"Well, technically yes, but—"

"And is she sleeping over?"

"Mikey, that's not—"

"Answer the question!" Mikey cheerfully commanded.

"Yes, she is." Donnie grudgingly agreed.

"Well then, SLEEPOVER TIME!" Mikey yelled, vaulting over the couch to lead beside the corridor that led to their rooms. He gave a cheerful whistle as he walked into his room, slamming the door behind him.

Donnie and Leo were staring after him with their mouths gaping open, while Raph just looked like he wanted to kick his shell. April was staring after him too, face blank.

"Uh, sorry." Donnie said awkwardly, looking flustered as she flickered her eyes to look at him. "He was dropped on his head a lot as a toddler."

* * *

 _Meanwhile_ …

Deep into the center of the city, a constant cover of storm clouds and shadows overhead, there was a marvelous mansion-like building, with the air and grandeur of a mansion built to express greatness. The overall tone of the interior and exterior was dark and mysterious, glass windows showing an interior of limited space and deliberate designs to show the dark and cryptic nature of the inhabitants. Water lined the walkway of the room, with torches illuminating the narrow ledges. A door stood on one end, which leads to the abundant rooms and chambers for the assortment of occupants and accoutrements.

Inside, the most noticeable and eerily garniture facing the other end in the dark room was the throne facing the center of the room. Seated regally on that throne, cloaked in the shadow of the night, was the dangerous and evil nightwalker called Shredder. Beside him, standing tall and proud, with a black and silver armored outfit on, was his daughter, Karai. They were currently awaiting a meeting requested by the Kraang.

A Kraangdroid head ascended from the section of the floor in front of them and a hologram appeared, projecting the clear image of a Kraang.

"What news do you bring to me, creature?" came Shredder's dark and baritone voice.

"The ones known as the turtles have captured the lifeform known as April O'Neil about five earth hours ago."

"What?‼? Why was I not informed sooner?!" Shredder voice raised slightly, barely concealed anger painting his tone.

"Kraang has been looking for the one called April O'Neil and the ones known as the turtles. Kraang felt it was best to inform the one known as Shredder at the time known as now."

"Hmmm." Shredder mused, before speaking, "Very well. Continue your search for the girl. The consequences of any failure to comply will be…most dire."

"Kraang will make amends to the one called Shredder." The Kraang simply replied, the projection abruptly ending and the head melded seamlessly into the black floor, leaving the room in an almost deafening silence.

Shredder softly and ominously said, "So…the turtles and Splinter have managed to take April O'Neil from these useless creatures before we could."

"Convenient timing. Just as we were about to make our move. Seems the turtles have their uses." Karai commented, tone that of a dark relishing of the situation.

"This may be the opportunity we have been waiting for. Karai, find the turtles and bring April O'Neil to me before the Kraang find her. At any cost." Shredder commanded.

Karai bowed her head, her hair falling in front of her face. "Yes, father," she said with daughterly reverence, walking away with a cruel smirk spreading across her face. _What fun to be had_ , she thought.

* * *

 **So, what do you think? I'm sure everyone is curious about the Foot Clan and April's relationship right now. Or about Karai and April's relationship. I'll give the details later. Or will I? ;)**

 **I apologize for how much shorter it is, but on the bright side, I am already halfway through chapter 5 and I assure you it will be much longer. Up next will be April's thoughts and feelings, as well as a secret midnight turtle meeting. Also, someone please tell me when episode 5 of season 4 is suppose to air.**

 **In addition, yes, I used to be a massive fan of Glee and I'm thinking of having my characters sing sometime. Not so much that it's annoying, like Glee sometimes was, but like in moments of intense emotion, especially with April. Tell me if this is appealing or lame. It would only happen like once every ten chapters or so.**

 **Also, little food for the thought here: I'm starting to theorize that maybe what's stopping April from mastering her powers is herself. I mean, think about it: April doesn't accept that she's not human. She's a mutant, a half-Kraang, half-human girl, yet she addresses herself as if she's just human. And the way Casey seems unaware of their differences in species tells me she doesn't want other "normal" people to see her as anything but human. It's like how Superman refused to accept her was a Kryptonian. The refusal to accept it created mental barriers that stopped him from reaching his full potential. Do you think that's what is happening to April? Please, give me your opinions and views.**


	5. Chapter 5 Late Night Deliberations

A/N: First of all, so sorry I haven't updated sooner. I am going through a lot right now, starting college and other family matters, so I haven't had a lot of time to work on my story. Nevertheless, I promise you, I will not abandon this story.

So, I'm back with a new chapter! And TMNT is now joining 2016! Loving the episodes they've shown so far, especially the not-so-subtle foreshadowing of April's power corrupting. I loved to see what she would look like evil! And the turtles from another dimension, amazing! However, what I don't like is that they still treat April and Casey like sidekicks, like they're completely unnecessary. I mean, Casey, I can understand, but with the fact that April was trained by Splinter, is psychic **_and_** was given an artifact that makes her more powerful and lucky, you would think they would see her as more important.

Also, I just discovered the show, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir, and I love it! Not only is it adorable that they are in love with each other's alter and civilian egos, but the whole storyline and plots are great. Could someone please tell me when episodes 13-26 are coming out in English? Now to my reviewers:

 **Wandering-reader – I'll try to update sooner from now on. Enjoy the chapter.**

 **Vi-Violence – I see your point. Outwardly, she is still the same. In case of her identity and DNA, she has changed. She's so used to being identified as human, she can't change it now.**

 **Guest – Yeah, I kind of hate Casey as well. But he does have his moments, I suppose. Don't worry, he's only going to be her annoying, human friend and it'll be a while before they meet or even become friends. And I totally ship Apriltello, in case you're wondering ;).**

 **Guest (2) – Of course it makes sense, whatever you mean.**

 **Guest (3) – Glad you love it. Hope you enjoy this chapter.**

 **blackenedwolf – I'm glad you like it and understand the story a bit. This is mainly about April's development, of her growing and "letting go" of her experience with the Kraang, and the turtles, especially Donnie, are going to help her get through it. April is drawn to Donnie in particular, so she feels like she can talk to him and he would understand, especially after his monologue in the sewers last chapter. This chapter shows April's perspective a little and I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for agreeing to my little epiphany, I been wondering about that for a while.**

 **perennialshrub – Be free to ask any question you want in your reviews and I hope you enjoy this chapter and the many to come. Glad you enjoy my story.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles or any of the characters and references.**

* * *

 **Chapter 5. Late Night Deliberations**

After some time, April knew she wasn't going to sleep anytime soon. Sleep in general often eluded her, or her routine nightmares of things better unspoken woke her up abruptly. Nights where she actually clocked out were to a deep and heavy rest until she had satisfied some internal allotment for consciousness.

Among the usual thoughts that kept her up, including missing her mom and wondering what the next day of experiments would be, now she had the confusing and complicated mess her life had suddenly become. The consistent sounds of leaky pipes and rushing sewer water, as well as the eerie background were not helping much either.

The night was really the only time she let her emotions show. Release them from the cage she kept them in, and then go back to keeping them under lock and key. When she was alone, with the darkness the only witness to her inner emotions, the weakness she could finally allow to show. At least, for a few hours, before she would try to sleep again.

She rolled over, facing the ceiling on the couch and grabbed a pillow, pressing it into her abdomen. Sometimes, when the bad feelings came forth from within, she tried to squish them back down by pressing on her stomach. Occasionally it worked. Most of the time, like now, it had no effect. Still it was better than trying to endure them.

She internally sighed, thoughts smashing around in her head like a swinging wrecking ball. Thoughts of home. Of her life for almost sixteen years.

She couldn't lie to herself or anyone who knew her, really. Living with Kraang had been horrible. At best, barely tolerable. As she grew older, she had known she couldn't trust them. They hurt and abused her, made it clear that she was nothing to them but a useful tool, a convenience. They reveled in her pain, enjoyed making her scream. It had been a living nightmare, as if she was drowning, nothing to stop the agony that course through her each day. Alive, but as good as dead.

However…there had been some benefits to saying with them. She unconsciously shifted her hand up to touch the silver bibelot that hung around her neck, taking strength and comfort from it and all the memories it invoked. And once upon a time, she had been happy with her life.

And now, everything had changed. Her reality had been shifted. By the four giant talking turtles who had kidnapped her, no less. The mutants who claimed they were trying to save New York from the Kraang.

She wasn't sure if she should trust them, though. If she even wanted to trust them. And if she was going to figure that out at all, she needed to seriously think on that while she was rational and had her common sense to guide her. Or perhaps her self-preservation.

She laid there, thinking of them, of what potential life she could have with them. The red one whose name she couldn't remember…he was distrustful of her. He didn't like her presence in their home, or even in their lives. He felt…nervous? No. Uncomfortable. Behind his gruff and burly exterior, he was tense. Guarded. Especially towards her.

As was the blue one—Leonardo. Although he made a better effort to hide it behind a mask of professionalism. The way the others seemed to take their cues from him, gave the impression he was the boss of all of them—the leader. He was formal, only occasionally letting the mask slip to display his nervousness and uncertainty.

Their rat father…Master Splinter. She had done her very best not to squirm under his intense brown-eyed gaze. It felt like he had been seeing into her very center. His stare wasn't judgmental or violating, just…exposing. Unveiling. It was as if he saw past her mask, could see what she hid away from the outside world. Almost as if he could see every single thing she's been through in the past fifteen years, good and bad. She had walked away from that little staring match feeling slightly intruded upon. Like he knew the dark, ugly truth about her. She gave an internal shudder, feeling as though something slimy and cold was traveling under her skin, then quickly moved on in her pondering.

As for the orange and purple ones—that Michelangelo and…Donatello…

She let her mind drift as she thought about when they were preparing her sleeping arrangements…

* * *

 _"Here you are!" Mikey finally exclaimed as he finished arranging his pillows on the couch, flapping one of his gray blankets in the air before he gently positioned it on the couch. "Your bed is all done."_

 _April observed her new stratum. It was similar to her bed at TCRI, more or less. She would have no concerns of comfort or anything as pointless. Her experiences have taught her to adapt and make do with what she has to or could work with. She could feel the orange one's…Michelangelo's hopeful glaze on her, the way he was slightly bouncing in place in excitable anticipation. He sought after her approval, for some reason. He was…_ _ **glad**_ _she was there, with them. Excited even._

 _The red one, whose name she couldn't quite recall, had eventually left, grumbling and pointedly ignoring her, opening a gray door with a "STOP" sign nailed in front of it, slipping inside, then instantly slamming it shut. The blue one, the…Lenny? Leonardo. He had given her a tentative and uneasy smile, then, after sharing a tense look with…Donatello?—He had went to the sliding doors and quickly entered, closing it behind him._

 _"Don't worry. I'll give you a tour of the lair sometime. Me casa es tu casa." Mikey nodded, a big silly grin on his face."_

 _She nodded solemnly. "Okay." He had seemed to glow in response to her supposed appreciation and acceptance. Like a dog after getting a belly rub. He seemed to live for praises. With that, he walked away, humming as he disappeared behind a brown and white door._

 _She had been about to go to her bed when suddenly she felt a light touch on her right shoulder. She turned to see him, the purple one. Donatello…_

 _He quickly retracted his hand from her, seeming suddenly unsure and awkward. So unlike the steady warrior who had pleaded with her in the tunnels…he had sounded so strong, so desperate for her to understand his plight. He had seemed to care about her, to actually allow her to choose to come with him or not._

 _"Hey, so…um," he started, looking down for a moment and rubbing the back of his head, before looking up again, his eyes full of a newfound resolve. "I'm really sorry about all this…taking you from your home like that and just…changing your life like this. And I'm sorry, that we can't do more for you right now. And, though I don't know you and you don't know me or anything… However, if you need anything, you can talk to me. Okay?"_

 _He had grinned nervously then, mouth wide enough that she noticed a little gap in his teeth. She had simply replied, "I appreciate that. Thank you, Donatello." Then she had proceeded to the couch…_

* * *

Their supposed sincerity… Especially that Donatello. Despite having only met, she got the distinct impression…he _cared_ for her. That he was actually doing his best to give her choices and comfort. They were definitely different from _them_.

From the Kraang. From…

She quickly stopped those thoughts before they could even enter her head. She wouldn't think about that. Not now, not when she needed to focus and analyze her situation. She closed her eyes and then, noticing how tense she herself had gotten, took a steadying breath, dispelling the newly gained tension from her body. She had to focus on her quandary at the moment.

She couldn't stay with them. That much she knew without thinking too hard. She could not trust in them or their claims. They were hiding something from her about the Kraang. Something important. They were ninjas…their purpose was to keep their secrets. Nevertheless,…she could rest here, take a few days to think on her situation, figure out what her next plan of action should be. Until then, she would keep these…turtles and their rat master at a distance.

After having spent so many years wearing a mask, she couldn't afford to let her guard down now. To get sloppy. She of all people knew the danger of credence in her regular life. But, as she closed her eyes to try to sleep, she couldn't help but think that if she had met them in another life, a better life…she may have trusted them almost immediately.

* * *

Leo was seated, lotus position, on the mats of the dojo in front of a lantern he had set up in order to light up the room enough for him to see. He had called this meeting so late, in hopes of not disturbing Splinter and for some secrecy from their new addition. He adjusted the knob on the lantern until the light flashed against the wall, blinking his eyes as he adjusted to the sudden twinkle in his vision as he waited for his brothers to show up. As if on cue, he heard the sound of the door slowly sliding open and his peripheral vision picked up movement at the entranceway. He turned his head to see Raphael stick his head in the doorway. Their eyes locked, and he took the silent affirmance to step into the room. Donatello followed almost immediately after him, slightly dragging Mikey along by his arm, where held had a teddy bear in his hand and was attempting to rub the sleep out of his eyes with the other one. After every one had somewhat more awareness, they all settled down, cross-legged around the lantern, all maskless and tense.

"Can someone remind me why we couldn't have this meeting earlier? Or better yet, tomorrow rather than too-fricking-late o'clock at night?!" Raph whispered loudly, face showing his irritation. Leo took a calming breathe, trying not to let his desire to sleep cause him to snap back.

"Because, right now April should be asleep, so she won't hear what we have to talk about. You know this meeting is about her, and I'd rather have it late at night, then tomorrow morning, where she could eavesdrop on us."

Donnie frowned, fighting the fatigue seeping in his eyes. "You don't trust her?"

"I…" Leo's eyes, which had been attempting to maintain a cool and calm demeanor, finally showed some of the frustration and exasperation he was feeling. "I don't know. What I do know: she was raised by the enemy, they were using her as a weapon to invade earth and that her name is April O'Neil, a name that may or may not, have been given to her by the Kraang. I want to believe she's good, but I'm not sure we can trust her to not act rashly were she to find out why we were at TCRI. We don't know much about her, so I think it's best to act with caution."

Donnie seemed to think that through, then he sighed, giving a stiff nod. Accepting that, Leo addressed the rest of the group. "Okay, as I'm sure none of you are surprised about, I called this meeting to talk about our current situation with April."

Donnie and Raph gave a quick nod in response, while Mikey, who seemed to have clocked out of the whole meeting, gave off a small yawn. Leo cleared his throat, restraining himself from rolling his eyes.

"Okay, let talk about what we know. She is a sixteen-year-old girl whom the Kraang decided to use for their plans to take over the world, correct?" He paused briefly to make sure everyone was awake and following him. "So, somehow, this girl—April—is the weapon the Kraang have developed to help them with this plan. Theories, Donatello?"

Donnie spoke up, "Okay, here are my conjectures. Theory one, we had found out before that the mutagen the Kraang were hoping to use didn't work the way they wanted it to. Somehow, they're harvesting her DNA so they can perfect the mutagen. Theory two, she may be a test subject. Maybe there are some things the Kraang can't test on the public, or they'll arouse suspicion and be exposed as the brain-like freaks they are, so they experiment on it with April instead. Like the controlled group and the experimental group that receives the test so that a hypothesis can be tested. She's their scapegoat, the guinea pig for the Kraang to use against the citizens of New York. And, based on the results on the scan I conducted earlier, I'd have to lean towards the latter, rather than the former. "

Leo frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Well, from what I could gather, the damage on her body is extensive. About forty percent of it is covered in scar tissues and needle marks, although I don't really know the details on the hows and whys. Possibly by a scalpel or a shiv of some kind . Also, there are fractures along her bones, some more severe-looking then others. They've healed, but you can still see evidence of them. Electrical burns, contusions, other sequelae. But without a more thorough examination, I can't really determine the causes. Long story short, I think it's safe to assume she had a difficult time with the Kraang." Donnie outlined, face grim.

Leo nodded solemnly, meditating on those possibilities and newfound information. Raph growled softly, "What now, fearless leader? The original plan was to destroy the weapon. Set the Kraang back, delay their plans for enough time so that the earth has a chance."

"Yeah, well plan's changed." Donnie snapped, voice and face hard and cold. "Despite the circumstances we found her in, or what she's being used for, there is no justifiable reason to kill her." Raph turned to him, raising an eyebrow suspiciously.

"No, we won't kill her. It's not our way." Leo agreed, solemnly nodding his head.

"Then what do we do with her? Because I don't know about you people, but I don't think inviting a potential enemy to our home is a good idea. Or letting something that could cause the destruction of the human race live."

"Hey," Donnie quickly protested. "We don't know if she's in cahoots with the Kraang or not. You don't even know her. I, for one think—" Then he paused once he caught the look on Raph's face. The cruel smirk that was slowly creeping across his face that immediately triggered his internal alarm.

"Go on, Donatello." Raph goaded cruelly. "Since you're so confident in her, what else do you think about our mysterious guest?"

"Well, I, uh…well, I just think she—"Donnie blushed heavily, trying frantically to stammer out a dismissal to Raph's subtly made assumption.

"What's the matter, genius? _April_ got your tongue?" Raph said gleefully, looking very much like the cat that got the cream.

"Raph, Donnie, what are you talking about?" Leo demanded.

"Nothing! Nothing at all!" Donnie quickly whispered/yelled as he sent Raph a pleading look, hoping to appeal to his better nature. No such luck.

"Casanova here likes our little Kraang prisoner." Raph said, suddenly sounding and looking less amused.

"Wait, what!?" Leo said, his whispering an octave higher.

"Dude, you got a thing for the red-haired hottie in our living room? Awesome!" Mikey exclaimed, abruptly much more awake and smiling gleefully at Donnie.

"No, Mikey, it's **_not_** great! It's the whole Karai incident all over again!" Raph growled.

"Whoa, whoa. Hey," Leo immediately protests indignantly. "Leave her out of this. This situation is completely different."

"Do I have to remind you of the first time we met her, when she sicced Foot soldiers on us, left us at the mercy of Snakeweed and almost killed us by herself, you especially? Or the second time we saw her, when she just stood and watched as a bunch of Kraangbots almost kill us, so she could study our moves?" Raph argued heatedly.

"Okay, first of all, those Foot soldiers were a piece of cake and we made it out of that whole Snakeweed debacle alive, especially because she left that knife for us. She helped save us. Second, for all you know, she couldn't intervene. Maybe she assumed she'd do more harm than good." Leo defended angrily.

"Right. Because, as a deadly kunoichi whose is loyal to our mortal enemy, she would be concerned with doing us some good," Raph mocked loudly. "Why didn't I think of that sooner?"

"Cool down, Raph" Leo vehemently ordered.

"You'll wake up, Master Splinter. Quiet down!" Donnie cautioned anxiously.

"Yeah, you'd like that, huh, lover turt—"

"What is going on out here?" a loud voice suddenly interrupted Raph's heated monologue. The four turtles turned sharply to see their father standing in the doorway of his room, his countenance that of an angry ex-sleeper. "Can't an elderly father of four teenage sons get a good night's rest **_without_** being jolted awake by the constant yelling happening outside?" His eyes flickered to Raph and Leo, who flinched, then ducked his head as he mumbled a humble apology.

"Sorry, _sensei_. We were just talking about April. Raph has a…strong opposing view about her. He thinks we shouldn't trust her, you know, being raised by the Kraang and all."

Splinter stood, absently stroking his bread as he seemed to contemplate on that matter. Then he turned his gaze to Raph, who, to his credit, met Splinter's stern and placating gaze head-on with a slightly defiant look on his face. After what seemed like hours, but what was really a couple of long seconds of the sudden staring contest, Splinter closed his eyes and sighed heavily, before looking back at Raph with a softened expression on his face.

"Raphael, you are letting your depiction of the Kraang cloud your honest judgment." Splinter softly stated.

"That's not it, I just…I mean…look, we don't know anything about her. Some of the question we asked, she answered a little suspiciously. There was some I'm pretty sure she left out of her answers, some she even lied about. I mean 'I like to be accurate'? Why lie unless you have something to hide? I just…get this weird vibe around her. Can we really trust her, knowing what we know about her?" Raph inquired, looking around at his brothers for a few moments, and then looking back at Splinter.

For a few moments, there was silence as the four green occupants in the room thought hard on that question. That question seemed to haunt their minds, stirring up a dust of insecurity and coloring their thoughts with uncertainty. Then, Splinter's voice interrupted their negative thinking, the brothers turning to look at him as he spoke.

"Do you want to know what I see when I look at her?"

Leo blinked in surprise. "Uh, sure sensei."

"I see deep sadness. Great anger. Mistrust. Scars, both physical and mental, that run deep and are still fresh and aching." Splinter paused, letting his negative words sink in a moment before he continued, "However, I also sense compassion and a kind heart. A great inner strength that lies within her. Perhaps that was one of the things the Kraang sought from her."

"So—"Donnie paused, hesitating for a second before continuing his question. "So, what should we do, _sensei_?"

All four turtles eagerly awaited his answer. When in doubt, they always depended on their wise, sage-like father for guidance. They watched as Splinter absently stroked his beard, contemplating the situation.

"You must try to befriend her. Taking into account her story and origin, she may know more about Kraang's plans and their presence on Earth. We must find out what she knows about the them."

"But she asks so unfeeling and indifferent about…everything!" Raph immediately protested, "How we possibly become friends if she doesn't let us in?"

"Perhaps she wears that mask to hide the inner turmoil inside. After all, given the list of injuries Donatello had named, could you expect her to have a positive outlook on life?" Stunned silent, not just by the fact that Splinter had just casually admitted he was eavesdropping, but by his watertight argument, they watched as Splinter turned away and walked back to his room.

"Please keep it down and try not to stay up too late. We are studying a new ninjustu technique tomorrow. Goodnight, my sons." And with that, Splinter closed the door, presumingly to get some sleep.

The younger brothers immediately turned back to their leader, waiting to hear his take on the matter. He simply blankly stared back at them, obviously not getting it.

"What do you think now, fearless leader?" Raph growled, sarcasm evident.

Leo was quiet as he thought about that issue, attempting to look at this problem from all angles. According to Splinter, April was a good person with a horrible past. Knowing she grew up with the Kraang, he could believe that. However, that didn't mean they shouldn't say on their toes. Being hurt and used by someone didn't necessarily mean they were on the opposing side. Like Karai. With Shredder. He internally sighed before answering.

"Splinter's right about a lot of things. I'd say he's right about this. It isn't right to judge her based on how we view the Kraang. Despite who she is…or what she was to the Kraang, she's our responsibility now. Plus, she'll need a place to stay…"

There was silence in the room for a minute, then Donnie sighed and said, "Look, I know me being against that choice is unexpected and contrary, but are you sure that's a good idea? Like Raph said, we don't exactly know if she's trust worth. Should we take that chance?"

Leo sighed, staring intently at the lantern as he answered, "We're going to have to."

* * *

 **Sorry if the ending is a little anticlimactic. I wanted to post this as soon as possible and put all the necessary worries of both April and the turtles. Hope you've enjoyed it. Please review, follow or favorite.**


	6. Chapter 6: Old and New Routines

Guest: Thank you. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

FearlessLeader-Leonardo – Sorry I can't update as quickly as I like, my life is kind of hectic now. But enjoy!

Guest # 2: Right back at you, ;)!

 **A/N: So, so sorry it took almost a year to update this story. College education plus writer's block plus new ideas for fanfictions equals late updates. But trust me, this story will not go on hiatus or discontinue. I hate it when someone starts a good story and doesn't finish it, so I won't do it to my readers. Hope this chapter makes up for my absence. Also working on my second chapter for Liar, Liar and writing a Nalu fanfiction for Fairy Tail, so be on the lookout. Enjoy!**

...

Chapter 6: Routines, Old and New

Raph couldn't help but give off a little growl as he crept pass the living pit to his room, not wanting to notify their guest of their little midnight meeting. Leave it to Splinter to side with the lovesick and naïve. Seriously, was he the only one who thought with his brain? Because, in times like these, he honestly suspected that!

He gently opened his door, slipped inside, then slammed it as quietly as he could while still slamming it. Then he sighed, leaning his shell against the door and sliding down a little, tilting his heels back so he could remain mostly upright as he covered his face with one of his giant hands. His head was pounding and he needed to think.

He wasn't as stubbornly obtuse as the others thought. He knew perfectly well there were nothing but truths in Splinter's assessment and suggestions. The new girl—April— could very well be just another victim, pushed to the edge so much that she finally became the stoic introvert they had met earlier. And he wasn't going to kid himself by denying his judgments of her was tainted by his depiction of and attitude towards the Kraang. But, as he had said before, for his whole family to hear, this is war. And he was standing by that. They couldn't afford to let any liabilities get in their way of victory. And April was a huge, as well as unstable, liability.

Still, he did his best to look at this objectively, for Splinter's sake as well as his own. Believing April's story to be true, it's safe to assume that April's whole life consisted of the Kraang. And, if they were to trust both the somewhat possessive behavior of the Kraang and the data they had attempted to guard from them, the test and experiments April had undergone were due to her importance to the Kraang's ultimate goal: obtaining the world for themselves.

However, April hadn't given any indication that she was against the Kraang either and that didn't sit right with him. It was how he commonly divided everyone he knows: the one for the Kraang and the one against. His brothers and Master Splinter: against. Every other human on the planet: against. New and weird girl who is abnormally quiet and mysterious: unknown. And that was unacceptable.

He wasn't typically a sleeper. Most nights, when he knew they had another insane mission to execute, he would just look at the ceiling, thinking of all the things that could go wrong. In this case, it was child's play to see.

Either A) This is all an elaborate plot to take them out and they'll all die sometime this week or B) The Kraang will somehow figure out a way to track her down and then they'd die. In any case, it was too soon to tell which direction to think and which course of action to take. For now, he'll just have to deal with their new housemate and hope this doesn't bite them all in the butt later.

...

 _Cold. So mind-numbingly cold. Like it was crushing in on her. But not painful, at least._

 _And it was bright. Too bright._

 _The white light that glowed above always shined through her closed eyes, making it that much harder to sleep, whenever she finally could. When she'd finally wake up in the morning, the light never failed to blind her retinas and immediately put her on high alert. She laid on her bed for a few moments, long used to the sharp smell that burned her nose and made her eyes itchy. The white walls that the passive of time. Long used to the usual expectations of each day. Soon, a portion of the wall would open, her caretakers waiting on the other side, but not coming in. Never coming in._

 _Still best to get ready. She sat up on her bed with white sheets, staring at the foot of her bed. Even in the nights where sleep is short and almost non-existent, she could never explain how those, who refused to enter her sanctuary, manage to bring her morning supplies. She would seemingly blink for a moment, and then they would appear just as she was due to prepare for the day. She turned to the tray expectantly. There was a bowl of clear soup, a minuscule serving of mush and a tall glass of water. A silver spoon rested near the soup, awaiting her use. Also lying at the foot of her bed is the pristine white outfit she was expected to wear after her breakfast. A long-sleeved shirt and sweatpants that were a little too big for her. They hadn't bathed her in a while. But then, with all the bleach and antiseptic they used, she supposed they thought a bath wasn't necessary._

 _Eating takes less than five minutes, despite the leisurely pace she executed, and then she slips out of bed. She takes off her old outfit and is dressed in the new one in a minute, dutifully standing in front of the wall where she knows there's a door, even if it wasn't visible until it slides open._

 _She doesn't have to wait long. Soon the wall slide open, revealing two of the Kraangdroids waiting to escort her. She steps out into the wide, deserted hall full of invisible doors, the whole hall as whitewashed as her room. They walk down the hall without any hesitation, leading her to her regular destination at that time. Their footsteps echo in the emptiness, passing the time until she sees them awaiting her in a big chamber at the end of the hall, alighted with those blinding lights. She remembered the days before, when they dragged her kicking and screaming, unwilling to submit. Back when she had more spirit, more will, more fight. Back when she wasn't alone._

 _She stood in front of them, the crowd of spectators, waiting for the entertainment to begin. Sometimes, she could hear the voices as if they were far away, like a garbling. It took a few moments for her to decipher the murmurs. She began to hear clearly just as one of them spoke._

 _"Kraang," he said in that same monotone voice that she was forcefully subjected to everyday, "are you ready for the test of the DNA for the one called April O'Neil?"_

 _She watched as a single Kraangdroid stepped forward into the light, walking until he was two feet in front of her. In one of his chrome and purple hands, he held a short rod, electricity generated throughout its structure. So it's shock therapy today, April simply thought. At least it wasn't surgery day._

 _"Of course," he said, somehow injecting dark relish into his otherwise impassive-sounding voice, as he pushed the rod into her arm._

...

"—April?"

The girl in question blinked as she was abruptly brought back to the present. She instantly noticed her eyes weren't met with the harsh fluorescent lights that she was used to seeing. Instead, she saw a medium glow that wasn't too hard to see in. She took in the rancid smell and blue background. Right, she was with the turtle mutants. She turned her head to look at Michelangelo, who was wearing a worried expression on his face.

As she had predicted that first night, sleep had not been forthcoming then or all the nights after. Eventually, she had resorted to simply sitting up on the couch and waiting for one of her "rescuers" to come out. She had sat there for hours, staring into space until the orange-masked turtle had shown up, offering a cheerful "Good morning!" The one named Mikey was very talkative, mouth moving and words coming out in the speed of a motorboat, insistent in explaining how the world worked. Like the other week, he noted anxiously that her "raccoon eyes" were worsening, though he wouldn't explain what that was and why it was a pressing concern. She tended to drift nowadays and now that a month of peace had passed, she was remembering one of many mornings at her original home. She internally sighed as she turned her focus to Michelangelo. "Yes?"

A smile spread across his face as he repeated himself. "I said, 'what do you want for breakfast'?" That was his primary concern, as he declared that breakfast was the most important meal of the day. April didn't really understand that. Does that make lunch and dinner unnecessary? Then what of snack time and brunch? Most of the things Mikey proclaimed confused her but she appreciated the effort he put to befriend her. Leonardo insisted on keeping a respectable distance and a relationship with Rapheal and Donatello seemed unlikely for contrary reasons.

Rapheal continues to distrust her, it seems, spending most of his days glaring at her distrustfully, and Donatello...actually she wasn't sure what warranted his behavior. His general evasive and nervous attitude suggested fear, but his need to check on her health and the way he would sometimes talk to her at random times were of a different nature of emotions. She felt...perplexed by his attitude. And there was something else to be concerned about.

While in her home, her room, she knew how to function and what was required of her. She was to feel no distress during her tests day in and day out, nor satisfaction when she acquired a new food or otherwise. She was created for their means,so anything they did to her was acceptable. However, in the sewers with the giant reptiles, the atmosphere is less controlled and sharp. The first night they had all tried to sneak past her to have a private meeting, obviously about her. And since that day, they had been acting very strange, unwilling to tell her how to feel about much. If anything, the turtles tended to expect her to feel or show a preference and seemed disappointed that she didn't express herself more.

Also, the turtles, well mostly Michelangelo, insisted she makes her own decisions. Almost every question he asked her was about what she liked or wanted. And that was very difficult to compute, having grown up with every choice made for her, whether she would enjoy the end results or not. To have her opinions held in such high regard was a different approach and she was generally uncertain how to proceed. With her way of living suddenly topsy-turvy, she was having a hard time adjusting to this new life.

However, on the issue of breakfast, she supposed that was an easy obstacle to navigate through. "Cereal is fine, thank you."

...

"So," Leo asked cautiously, honestly not sure how to go about this meeting. A month of having to deal with this newcomer was more than enough to get a feel of who she really was, but he wondered if his brothers would understand that. "How has living with April been?"

They were once again in the dojo, a single lantern lite in the middle of their huddled group. Deciding to wake up early rather than stay up late like last time, he made sure to pass the message to his brothers to be up an hour before their morning training to discuss the situation they were currently in. As a result, they looked more refreshed and ready to give their input.

Mikey, of course, was the first to answer, voice excited and loud despite being a whisper. "Oh, she's awesome. She tries and likes everything I make and she actually listens to me when I talk."

After a brief moment of silence, Leo spoke again, "Okay...does anyone else have anything to say?" After another short muteness, Donnie spoke up. "She's mostly quiet and still. I mean she listens to me when I go talk to her, but with an air of impassiveness that's almost unnatural, although I think it's safe to say she means us no harm, like we all originally thought. Also, I've been examining her more thoroughly and she doesn't really react to...well, pain."

"What does that mean?" Leo interrupted sharply.

"I don't know if it's because of her current blankness or if it's something the Kraang did, but when I was examining one of the damaged tissues on her stomach, something that should have hurt her immensely, she gave no reaction at all. I might as well have been ticking her with a feather. Also, judging her haggard state of late, I don't think she's been sleeping at night. Right now, she may look as though she's entered the REM cycle, but I doubt she's getting any real rest. Like, at all."

"See!" Mikey exclaimed suddenly, "I'm not the only one to recognize the raccoon eyes she's sporting." No one bothered to respond, too focused on what Donnie said. "Why do you think she's not sleeping?"

Rapheal snorted, "You really have to ask that? The answer's obvious. The little ice princess doesn't trust us."

Donnie slowly nodded in agreement. "More accurately, she may be too sensitive to her surroundings to be able to obtain sleep. Perhaps she waiting for us to attack or announce our true intentions for her. And it doesn't help that she spent her whole life in a certain environment with the Kraang for company. This change may be hard for her to adapt to." They all too a moment of quiet to think on those speculations.

"Any suggestions? On getting her to trust us?" Leo inquired. Donnie hesitated for a minute then answered, "Well, it doesn't help that the only person who really talks to her is Mikey. Raph is too hostile and you're too...professional, Leo."

"Oh! What about you, little Miss. Can't-speak-right-unless-it's-about-science? You aren't exactly the king of communication either!"

"Raph's right? If we want April to be more comfortable, we have to make an effort here. **All of us**." The eldest brother emphasized, looking at Raph. "Splinter's off the hook because he doesn't interact with her much. Or at all. But we see her all the time. We can't treat her like a ticking time bomb or something. Otherwise, she might leave."

"No way, April and I are buds! She wouldn't leave me high and dry." Mikey declared confidently. The others stared at him in disbelief, then continued their conversation.

"Wait, you really think she'd go back to the Kraang? Those jerks tormented her for years, according to egghead over here. She'd have to be stupid or desperate-"

"That's exactly what she is, Raph: desperate. Just imagine you were in her shoes. Waiting up to a bunch of freaks who kidnapped you from everything you know, only to treat you like a pariah afterwards," Leo countered angrily. "And even if she doesn't go back to the Kraang, she could still just leave. There's nothing really keeping her here. Just because we're protecting her doesn't mean she won't want to take her chances on her own. We have to try to get to know her, establish a friendship, or one day she'll be gone and she won't come back."

They all grew quiet as they considered their leaders watertight conclusion. Looking form that angle, it seemed more than a little clear that April was receiving the short end of the stick. They had uprooted her and were treating her unjustly. No matter how uncomfortable this situation was for them, it was much worse for April.

"Ok," Raph grumbled grudgingly, "How are we going about becoming friends with Ginger anyway?"

"Oh, oh! I got this, bro! I got the perfect idea to become best pals with April." Mikey declared, almost mysteriously. " And my plan will commence tomorrow."

"I don't know what scares me more: the fact that Mikey has an idea, or that he actually used a word like 'commence' properly." Donnie muttered to Leo. He just sighed and addressed the remaining members.

"Okay Mikey, you try you're idea tomorrow. For now...let's get some shuteye, team."

...

So...what did you think? What is Mikey's idea and will it work? If you have any suggestions or questions for this story, please review. And while you're at it, you could also favorite and follow this story as well, but that's just my opinion ;)! Already working on chapter seven, hope you like!


	7. Chapter 7 Something New

Chapter 7: Something New

Mikey clung to the shadows, keeping a steady eye on his target. This was probably the most dangerous mission in his life. It wouldn't do him any good to mess this up. Okay, so maybe it wasn't that life-threatening, but it was definitely going to be difficult. Ensuring this job was a success would take all his skills, ninja and other.

He knew when he was allowed to goof off (well, sorta) and when it was time to be serious, and this time definitely required seriousness. He looked away for a moment to take a deep breath, then quickly turned back to make sure nothing has changed. Nope, April was still in the lair's pit, utterly focused on her book.

Since their unanimous (mostly unanimous, he thought, thinking of Raph) decision to become friends with April, the only person who made any real progress was Donnie. Yesterday, he had inquired about her steady grasp at speaking and the English language in general, and their guest had confessed that the Kraang would occasionally provide her with books when she asked for entertainment. Donnie hadn't wasted any time in giving her a variety of books from his own personal collection, and she was already halfway through the pile. The fact that it had taken a lot to convince her to finally set one of the books down to eat, spoke volumes about how much she had appreciated the gesture.

Mikey psyched himself up as he prepared to walk over to her. He knew he liked to talk a big game about most things, but despite how much of a front he put for his brothers, he wasn't as dumb or crazy as he seemed. He knew this situation was delicate and that he would need to tread cautiously if he wanted to have any hope of succeeding. Even after a solid month of conversing with April and questioning her, it seemed as though she was as closed-off as she was since she had begun living with them.

Despite reassuring his brothers of his plans to become good acquaintances of April, he had been somewhat stumped. After racking his brains for hours after their meeting, he came to a brilliant solution. What's the best way to break the ice in any situation? A present! Everyone loves an excellent gift, something to show the giver as thoughtful and gregarious. Something to quickly communicate his intentions of stretching his hands out in the name of friendship. But before he could bring this gift for April, he needed to know a few crucial things.

With that in mind, he took a few moments to steady himself and then he struck.

...

"Hey, April!"

The redhead in question reluctantly looked up as someone called her name. When she saw it was Michelangelo, she could help but be unsurprised. Since the previous day, she had noticed a slight change in the turtles. Donatello had sought her out, asking information on her speech and giving her a plethora of books to occupy her time. The other brothers, Raphael and Leonardo, had gone out of their ways to make sure she was eating, although the former was a little rough about it. After that, it was only expected that she be approached by Mikey again.

"Michelangelo." Was her standard way of greeting him as he took a seat a few inches beside her. Despite the constant instances of calling them by shortened versions of their given names, she didn't see any real reason to follow that preference, so she stubbornly stuck with their full names. Besides a few weak complain, there wasn't any objection.

"I have one question to ask you. One of the most important questions in your life, in fact. This question will not only define you but also define your purpose in the whole universe. It could be determining factor on whether you're cool or just another nobody, walk through this thing we call life until we ultimately meet our end and go into an eternal slumber. This is the deep, deep stuff." He let his declaration hang in the air, giving April a chance to soak it all in. Meanwhile, April was racking her brains to figure out what conundrum was worth so much. What inquisition could be of such importance that it could very well affect your very life? Then, taking a deep breath dramatically, Mikey inquired

"What...is...your...favorite color?"

It took a few minutes of silence for April to realize she had not misheard her turtle companion, and then another few to try to see the value of knowing the answer to such a question. Deciding to ask the questioner, she replied, "I'm sorry, but what exactly is the purpose of this question?"

"It's because I'm curious!" Mikey exclaimed, excitement bursting from his tone and slightly bouncing in his seat. "Come on, I wanna know!"

Feeling as though she wouldn't be able to return to her book anytime soon unless she answered his inquiry, April determined her best course of action from there. "What exactly are "colors" and "favorite"? She finally asked in return. At this, Mikey paused his bouncing as his face morphed into an expression of confusion and sadness.

"Oh, well... Colors are the, like, color of something, like how my awesome mask is orange or my sweet skin is green," he explained, identifying the things he was talking about while explaining. "And favorite is just what you like very, very much!"

"Oh," April took a moment to think on that. While not understanding the relevance of the question or even why it mattered, she found she couldn't refuse Mikey. He was looking at her with such hopeful and expecting eyes, so she put some serious thought to his question. After thinking, she concluded the color she most liked was that of the sun that was displayed in one of the books Donatello had bestowed on her. She proceeded to tell Mikey that fact.

"Oh, yellow!" He said, sounding extremely happy as he gazed at the picture she showed him. "That's cool. Later!" He abruptly called, swiftly moving away from her. Before she could even blink, he was gone. Not sure what to make of the short session with Mikey, she just went back to her book. Perhaps he'll address it later.

...

"Oh, April!"

The redhead in question looked up, watching as Mikey walked towards her, hands obviously hiding something behind his back. "I got a present for you!" He exclaimed, looking excited and expectant. He then showed his hands, revealing a significant, newspaper-wrapped bundle.

"What is it?" April asked, unable to tell what it was from the outside. Perhaps it was more food?

"Just something I got with you in mind." The turtle explained proudly, holding it out for her to take. She held it carefully, taking the time to examine it from all angles. Then she delicately opened the package.

After taking a moment to study the contents, she looked back up at Mikey. "What is this, Michelangelo?"

He simply smiled. "Something to help you expand your horizons."

...

Raphael didn't know what was happening. He was just in the middle of playing with Spike when Mikey had called a family meeting in the central living area. He was fidgeting, impatient as Mikey paced before them, one hand behind his back and the other pointed towards the sky.

"Friends, brothers, Raph," ("Hey!" said the red-masked turtle) "As I said before, I've gone above and beyond to make sure our dear friend April feel more welcome and less formal. So, I ask you, what's the best way to get someone to like you?"

"Watch Space Heroes with them?" Came Leo reply. "Show them all your best inventions." Was Donnie's. Raph said flatly, "Not kicking their butts the first chance you get."

"Nope, nope and No! It's getting them a super awesome gift. Duh!" Mikey screamed excitedly, practically bouncing on his feet as he explained. Sighing internally, Leo asked cautiously, "So, what did you get April?"

"See for yourself. Come on out, April." Mikey screamed. Coming out of the bathroom, the redhead turned to face them, looking mainly the same. Except for the new clothes.

The girl was now dressed in a yellow shirt with a white five in the center, wearing jeans that reached down to the end of her calf and white and black sneakers. She also had a gray shoulder bag resting on her right shoulder. The whole outfit left nothing to the imagination, and the boys couldn't help but drool over the girl for a few moments, especially Donnie. She looked like a whole another person. Besides the same stoic face.

"So, what do you guys think?" Mikey inquired eagerly. Of course, Donatello stammered out his answer. "Oh you look- I mean you're the most beau- I mean that outfit is-" Luckily, Leonardo intervened before Donnie could give himself an aneurysm. "It's good, Mikey. Somehow, it fits her." Raph could only snort quietly to himself, unwilling to voice how the ginger looked kinda cute in her new look.

"What about you, April? Do you think it's good? Huh, do ya?" Mikey looked at the redhead with gleaming eyes, looking as though his happiness depended on the girl's response. April studied her look for a moment, glancing at the turtles in front of her, then at Mikey standing beside her. Then she said softly, "I think… I look like the sun."

Mikey slightly deflated. "Is that bad?"

The redhead looked at her shirt again, then placed a hand delicately on the orange-masked turtle, not noticing the complete surprise that was on all the occupants' faces. "Thank you… Mikey."

…

 **Okay, I know this was a short chapter, and I'm sorry. College and new stories are kinda making things hard for me right now. But I will not abandon any of my story, I promise. Next chapter will be longer and will finally showcase Karai and more badass April.**

 **For now, how'd you like Mikey's surprise? She will get her headband soon, but for now, this is her look. She is warming up to them, as she finally said the shortened version of the name, so I hope you guys will stay turn for the chapters to come. Please look at my other stories as well.**


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